Expanding Nuclear Trade is Reckless

OTTAWA - Canada has signed a reckless new agreement to increase trade in radioactive nuclear material with India - only one month after returning a radioactive shipment of contaminated consumer goods from India.

"It's clear India has failed to control radioactive materials in the past,” said John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada. “Therefore we question the wisdom of increasing our trade with India in radioactive materials.”

India currently uses technology donated by Canada to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons – not for “nuclear energy” as stated in the terms of the arrangement. "Will this agreement prevent the use radioactive materials from Canada from also being used in India's weapons program?”

It’s bad enough Canada is enabling India’s nuclear weapons program. But there are other risks too. Increasing trade in nuclear materials and technology increases the risk of contaminated radioactive material ending up in consumer products (like it almost did in Montreal last May).

John Bennett, Executive Director
Sierra Club Canada
613.291.6888
Executive.Director@sierraclub.ca
John on Twitter / Bennett Blog