Monday, December 6, 2010

I Commented at Canada needs its nuclear industry in The Mark:

In the electricity industry, worldwide, there will be some important future players, coal, oil and nuclear. Renewables are right now a tiny pittance, and will likely remain so for many decades.

Selling AECL will ensure that Canada is industrially dependent to a growing energy sector built near solely upon carbon intensive sources.

It will also tie its international energy policy to the west, exclusively.

Much Industry in Ontario would also be tied to supporting this Western industry.

It is bad for Ontario, bad for Canada, but good for the Conservatives to see Ontario Industrially Emasculated in the energy sector, with its fate tied to Alberta.

Some people see the Alberta oil interests behind the Conservatives energy policies. But I don't think this is so much the case! With a world wide market in oil for transportion fuels, nuclear based electricity generation is no threat to Alberta's oil companies.

Canada can have both a strong and growing oil and gas industry, and a nuclear industry! But the Conservatives cannot, politically, stomach a strong Ontario centered Nuclear industry in what will be a growing worldwide market for low Carbon electricity.