Jan. 13, 2007: Financing Disaster #2 Introduction

There are several posts that go together as explorations of EDC, the Canada Account, nuclear sales, transparency, the environment as it relates to this, and more. This begins with a report entitled Financing Disaster which I mentioned and gave a link for on Dec. 28, 2006; however, this time there are screen captures and more information. The component posts updated with a brief idea of the contents are:


Jan. 13, 2007: Title Page & TOC [table of contents]

Jan. 13, 2007: The Switch, Environment & Lack of Accountability

The import of this post will become more evident by the end and mention of the environment and heavy water.

Jan. 13, 2007: South Korea Wolsong: Concessions

Jan. 13, 2007: Strawberry Fields Forever

Jan. 13, 2007: Leasing Heavy Water & Qinshan Concessions

Several posts go together in that they reveal how difficult it is to find out information: for example, about exactly what has been accomplished with CIDA aid money and then what the loans through the Export Development Canada's Canada account entail. There is a lack of transparency. It took more time than I expected to find out what companies were involved in nuclear projects and under what acronyms or names; hence, I have included information on where I looked and search terms.

Jan. 13, 2007: EDC-Competition, Disclosure, Access to Information -- which leads to the posts below: CIDA officials present Evidence before the Standing Senate committee on National Defence

Jan. 13, 2007: #1 CIDA Evidence to Senate Committee [i.e. Where has Canada's Foreign Aid been going in Afghanistan? - Continued below]

Jan. 13, 2007: #2 CIDA Evidence to Senate Committee [52-million-dollar micro-financing program in Afghanistan - $100 million per year - supervised by ARTF and the World Bank - Middle Eastern accounting firms - women trained in communication and media - radio - $3-Million out of $90-Million for basic education for girls]

Jan. 13, 2007: #3 CIDA - ARTF [Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the World Bank - officials from the Canadian International Development Agency: Hau Sing Tse, Vice-President of the Asia Branch, and Phillip Baker, Director of the Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Division - Afghan ARTF Expatriates Services Program - artfexpat.gov.af which leads to iom.int or the International Organization for Migration - Lateral Entry Program to place 100 lateral entrants from NGOs and international organizations in middle- and senior-level line positions in government ministries and agencies]

Jan. 13, 2007: Canatom NPM & Network Part 1

Jan. 13, 2007: Canatom NPM & Network Part 2 [re: heavy water - "The NWMO has refused to rule out the importation of radioactive waste -- raising the possibility that Canada could become an international radioactive waste dump. Indeed, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the President of NWMO, has stated that Canada may have an “ethical” obligation to accept foreign radioactive waste"]


Throughout, and especially in the final post in this series, note mention of the following:

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) ... 2003

The triangular relationship between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Aboriginal Peoples and the Government of Canada

Aboriginal Peoples have a role to play in assisting the Government ... the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste, particularly because of their traditional knowledge.

$880 million dollars
trust funds
The National Aboriginal Organisations
stakeholders

Jan. 13, 2007: Title Page & TOC

To view each jpg enlarged, double click. Then select back to return.


This continues and is related to the material mentioned in the background posts below.

First, some background, then the title page and table of contents. Note the countries covered in the whole report. This will consider only what has been happening with Canadian nuclear and other exports, particularly as they concern Canadian taxpayers -- the EDC, the Canada Account, and what this implies, along with some companies involved.



Background and related: Frost Hits the Rhubarb posts

Dec. 28, 2006: Financing Disaster

Funding through EDC and related tentacles

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2006/12/
dec-28-2006-financing-disaster.html

Jan. 2, 2007: EDC Canada Account Update

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2007/01/
jan-2-2007-edc-canada-account-update.html


Jan. 2, 2007: Reflections ...

On the EDC, the Canada Account and Being Concise

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2007/01/
jan-2-2007-reflections.html


Jan. 1, 2007: Happy New Year

Connecting the dots

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2007/01/
jan-1-2007-happy-new-year.html

Dec. 27, 2006: CIDA: Grants, Contracts, Contributions

2005 Auditor General's Report
Status Report pdf Chapter 5
20050205ce
Canadian International Development Agency
Financial Compliance Audits and Managing Contracts and Contributions

Note the difference between grants and contributions, along with the sharp increase in grants.

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2006/12/
dec-27-2006-cida-grants-contracts.html




The Key Report -- for several in this series of posts

Financing Disaster
How the G8 Fund the Global Proliferation of Nuclear Technology
Executive Summary and section on Canada , 2001 report -- which is Google's cache in html format

Or download the pdf here.

www.cnp.ca/issues/financing-disaster-g8-cda.pdf

www.google.com/search?q=ca
che:oEJJ39408U8J:www.cnp.ca/iss
ues/financing-disaster-g8-cda.pdf+Financ
ing+Disaster+-+How+the+G8+Fu
nd+the+Global+Proliferation+of+Nuc
lear+Technology&hl=
en&gl=
ca&ct=
clnk&cd=4





Title Page and Table of Contents




























Check the "List of Main Abbreviations and Acronyms" and the "Footnotes (full report)" for other information, for example, on COFACE which was mentioned in one of the previous posts. Note environmental concerns with EDC -- important with export sales, especially to countries with high pollution.

Jan. 13, 2007: The Switch, Environment & Lack of Accountability

Why the Switch from using a Corporate Account to a Canada Account?

Who win? Who could lose? ... If you read "The finer points of the Environmental Review Framework (ERF)" below, you will note that:

The EDC has to be accountable only to the EDC Board of Directors, not to the public, nor to any independent agency.

Note:

* The words "Canadian Exports": Check how much content in the finished reactors is actually Canadian. It is in one of the jpgs that will be posted in this series. It was in the area of -20% to 25%.

* It was with the Wolsong project that there was a switch from the EDC Corporate Account to an EDC Canada Account. All sales to China are through the EDC Canada Account. Note the total for which Canadian taxpayers are ultimately responsible.

* It was the External Aid Organization, now called CIDA, which helped Pakistan's AQ Khan on the road to nuclear power. Did no-one in Canada think about extremist Islam and the Waziristan area at the time of the KANUPP / Pakistan sale? Anyone who had ever travelled overland between Karachi, Islamabad, or Lahore, Pakistan via Kabul, Afghanistan to Europe would have questioned that sale. In that era there were several who had made that overland trek. What knowledge did officials in External have about the world? Other than its better hotels and a well-travelled, educated elite which they undoubtedly met? What have they learned in DFAIT/CIDA since?










EDC Environmental Policy: Read the fine print





The finer points of the Environmental Review Framework (ERF)

* The ERF only requires the EDC to "consider" international environmental standards.
* EDC only requires compliance with "host country laws".
* The ERF provides no guarantee of public consultation.
* The ERF absolves the EDC of the need to disclose any information.
* The ERF absolves the EDC of the need to disclose any information to the public without the consent of ALL parties. (China?) See jpg below.
* The EDC has to be accountable only to the EDC Board of Directors, not to the public nor to any independent agency. (See screen capture)







Check for more on the environment and the environmental review in another post in this series: Jan. 13, 2007: Canatom NPM & Network Part 2

Pay special attention to:

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) ... 2003

The triangular relationship between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Aboriginal Peoples and the Government of Canada

Aboriginal Peoples have a role to play in assisting the Government ... the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste, particularly because of their traditional knowledge.

$880 million dollars
trust funds
The National Aboriginal Organisations

Jan. 13, 2007: Strawberry Fields Forever

Cernavoda, Romania and Concessions

Note what was given away ... and that totals are still unclear in the contracts with Italy / Italian companies.

From that screen capture above, in the words of Jean Chretien, then Minister of Energy: "We are not bartering CANDUs against strawberries".

To enlarge any screencapture, double click. Then select back to return.



Note that the total value of the contract(s) with Italy remained unclear at the time of this report, 2001. Whether clarified since, I do not know.

Jan. 13, 2007: South Korea Wolsong: Concessions

Financing Disaster

South Korea Wolsong: Concessions

It appears that the nuclear deal with China was necessary for the nuclear industry but, considering the concessions--knowledge and skills given away and up to 75% Korean, as opposed to Canadian, content, how many Canadian companies benefitted? Which companies? Read more about Canatom NPD and associated companies. It is usually instructive to dig deeper ...

To enlarge any screencapture, double click. Then select back to return.

Jan. 13, 2007: Leasing Heavy Water & Qinshan Concessions

EDC, AECL, Canatom NPM and other companies. You may recognize the names of movers and shakers in the government of the day.


Pay particular attention to the words: "leasing the heavy water" -- in the third screen capture down.



Qinshan Nuclear Reactor Deal with the State Development Bank of China ... and the Concessions



From $1.5 Billion to $1.94 Billion

Qinshan Concessions: Note that "All of the loan agreements were signed with the State Development Bank of China, 100% owned by the Chinese government."

Qinshan Concessions - Canada agreed to "leasing the heavy water"

Would that be where the environmental considerations come in that are mentioned in another post in this series, the one detailing the environmental consulting and the number of native groups consulting with the government because of their traditional knowledge?

There is more if you link.

Jan. 13, 2007: EDC-Competition, Disclosure, Access to Information

To view any screen capture enlarged, double click. Then select back to return to the main page.


Export Development Corporation - High risk - Taxpayer backing - Disclosure or lack thereof - Consultation - Who win?

Is EDC unfair competition against domestic credit insurance companies and banks?







Would this constitute unfair competition for some businesses, along with high risk on the backs of Canadian taxpayers?

These are high risk loans, hence the use of the Canada Account; yet, in the end, if a country defaults (from what I can see), the taxpayers are left with the bills. If Canada forgives loans, taxpayers are still required to pay what is owed. Who benefit?

Note the "if" these ministers decide something is "in the national interest"

See the block at the bottom of the above screen capture and the beginning part of the one below. A Canada Account may be used when the Minister determines there are "national interest considerations" and these may be "importance of transaction to the exporter" and "foreign policy implications". Is the "exporter" the company or companies involved ... or the country?

Bombardier, TPC, Canada Account







EDC Consultation Review: Result? A few "meaningless changes"







Privacy, Secrecy, Confidentiality, Access to Information

See information from CIDA officials giving Evidence before the Senate committee. It is so worthwhile to read. Unbelievable, at first glance! Maybe there is another explanation, but it seems as if there were an attempt to obfuscate to the Committee.

Jan. 13, 2007: #1 CIDA Evidence to Senate Committee

Jan. 13, 2007: #1 CIDA Evidence to Senate Committee

To enlarge each screencapture, double click. Then select back to return.


Where has Canada's Foreign Aid been going in Afghanistan?

Background:

Kevin Steele: In the Senators Defense , Oct. 26, 2006, Western Standard / Shotgun

westernstandard.blogs.com/shot
gun/2006/10/in_the_senators.html

The Senate Committee on National Security and Defence has been taking a drubbing lately lately over the cost of their recent trip to Dubai. I take the position that this trip was well-intended and ended up being inadvertently sidetracked by the then-ongoing Operation Medusa. Sure, hammer away at the expense, but let's not lose sight of the larger issue and the greater expense. The Senators were trying to get to Afghanistan to find out what the h-ll is going on with our foreign aid.

The problem is with CIDA [Canadian International Development Agency]. Since May, the committee has been trying to get information from CIDA about where the money is going (go here and skim down to the bottom, or use "Find" in your browser and search for CIDA officials "Phillip Baker" or "Hau Sing Tse").


Here is a quote from Chairman Colin Kenny at the May 29 hearing; [.... Also below it in the article is Senator Banks' commentary in full. Link to read it.]

CIDA: Evidence to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence

CIDA in Afghanistan

2006-7: If you were under the misapprehension that it would be easy for the Senate Committee to get information on what CIDA is doing in Afghanistan from those involved, do not miss this. It is well worth reading. It would not be easy to condense the obfuscation. You must experience it or, at least, read it.

This was evidence presented about three months after the government had changed, not much time for the Minister responsible to learn what had been happening. She had not been to Afghanistan.

Did Senator Kenny's Committee get full and clear disclosure from CIDA? See Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
Issue 2 - Evidence , OTTAWA, Monday, May 29, 2006

www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/
Com-e/defe-e/02ev-e.htm?Language=
E&Parl=39&Ses=1&comm_id=76

Senator Colin Kenny (Chairman)


Search for the following paragraph which is the beginning of the exchanges. Note the questions asked of these bureaucrats and their answers, Hau Sing Tse and Phillip Baker:

We are fortunate to have with us now the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation. Ms. Verner was elected to the House of Commons in 2006. Prior to becoming a member of Parliament, she spent close to 20 years working in the field of communications and the public service. In the last Parliament, Ms. Verner was critic for the Economic Development Agency of Canada, for the Regions of Quebec and la Francophonie. She also serves as Chair of the Quebec Conservative Caucus.

... [Min. Verner's] first appearance before the committee [.... ]

[The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of International Cooperation] is accompanied today by two officials from the Canadian International Development Agency: Hau Sing Tse, Vice-President of the Asia Branch, and Phillip Baker, Director of the Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Division.

Continue to the complete report here:

Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
Issue 2 - Evidence , OTTAWA, Monday, May 29, 2006

www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/
Com-e/defe-e/02ev-e.htm?Language=
E&Parl=39&Ses=1&comm_id=76

There are excerpts below, along with more information on the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and where that leads.

Jan. 13, 2007: #2 CIDA Evidence to Senate Committee

Excerpts:

This is a revealing report.

Note: NGO's , shura , Women's Rights Promotion Fund , The Human Rights and Development Centre ...

I would guess the micro-financing program in Afghanistan refers to ARTF (More below).

Senator Atkins: Who administers the distribution of funds at the village level?

[Translation]

Ms. Verner: It is the NGOs.

[English]

Senator Atkins: Someone must be in charge to make decisions on the disbursements?

Mr. Baker: That would be the village shura — the village elders working to identify village priorities. [Men? Women?]

Senator Atkins: Do you have any record of the success of the use of those funds?

Mr. Baker: Yes, there has been a solid success rate on the national programs in terms of the use of the funds and the lack of diversion of the funds. That has been verified by Price Waterhouse Coopers, which is acting as accountant for the World Bank through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, who handles the National Solidarity Program and MISFA, the Microfinance and Investment Support Facility Afghanistan.

[....]

Senator Atkins: You explained to my colleague the process of the distribution of finances. Could you take us through that once again, how it originates and how it gets down to the local level?

[Translation]

Ms. Verner: We have said that we will provide $100 million per year overall, $90 million for national programs covering the entire territory, including Kandahar. Moreover, 10 per cent of the budget goes to Kandahar. That gives you the overall picture of our financial support to Afghanistan. Perhaps my colleague can give you more specifics.

[English]

Senator Atkins: I understand the top end.

Mr. Baker: You want to take it to the bottom end.

Senator Atkins: Right.

Mr. Baker: Understanding that top end is key because the whole notion is that these programs are owned and designed by Afghanistan. That is the beauty of them in terms of their sustainability. As you move down through, government departments are responsible for various sector portfolios, just as in Canada. For example, rural reconstruction is responsible for implementing the National Solidarity Program. They, through their national and provincial directors, would work to reach out to the villages to identify the priorities for each village. That information is then rolled up by the districts and then by the provinces and is fed back to the national level. It is all at the hands of the bureaucracies of the actual ministries of the Government of Afghanistan.

Senator Atkins: The NGOs at the local level make a proposal to whom?

Mr. Baker: The village shura would determine which projects they want to go ahead with, confirm that with the implementer of the program — for instance, rural reconstruction is one ministry — and then locally selected NGOs would bid on doing that work and act as the contractor to implement it.

Senator Atkins: Who supervises to ensure that this money is being used for that purpose?

Mr. Baker: Both ARTF, the World Bank, for example, for the national programs under its bailiwick, plus the ministry involved in governing that activity right out to the village level, for example, the ministry of rural reconstruction and development.

Senator Atkins: Does the World Bank have a crew in Afghanistan?

Mr. Baker: The World Bank works with independent verification and accounting such as Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Mr. Tse: We look at it from an accountability perspective and the capacity to discharge funds related to the national programs. The World Bank has the capacity and the infrastructure; in particular, they have the means to engage a lot of Middle Eastern accounting firms to put in place the infrastructure for monitoring, for vetting the receipts and all these issues in Afghanistan. Over time, as these national programs go to the next phase, we will be able to look at other institutional capacity and government initiatives as well.

[....]

Senator Johnson: What kind of training are CIDA personnel given before they go to Afghanistan? [....]

Mr. Baker: Our effectiveness begins with the actual recruitment process when we bring our employees from CIDA to work on the Afghan program. We have a hostile environment that is very pertinent for Kandahar and somewhat pertinent for Kabul.

The actual development background of these experts is important. We draw in people with seasoned experience, often from South Asia itself, who have worked with our Pakistan or Bangladesh program. They are seasoned development experts. We bring them in at various levels of our program so that we have a nice mix of people learning the ropes, supporting us at headquarters. They work with extremely seasoned people such as our head of aid and our staff in the field in Kabul, who have been in many development situations before. By virtue of their development training, academic background and experience, they are completely well versed on taking on these challenges.

Mr. Tse: In addition, our colleagues at DND have programs for their civilian staff that deal with working in high security and high risk environments. We piggyback on those programs. Our British colleagues also give them training because they are working in the same high risk environment. The military has different modules. When the time is right, we send our young officers there as well.

[....]

Senator Johnson: Are the CIDA programs working in the women's centres? I know we are putting a lot of time into these programs. Given that women run the homes and raise the children and the families of the future, I think that is where a lot of the focus should be in rebuilding a country such as Afghanistan. I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on anything in that regard.

[....]

[Name of speaker omitted. Presumably it is Mr. Phillip Baker or Mr. Hau Sing Tse:] We have a micro-financing program in Afghanistan. First of all, I think we have to start by informing women of their rights. There is an organization, called Rights and Democracy, which does that type of work. Women tell other women, they tell their daughters; they send their daughters to school, and that is how, over time, women will be able to fully participate in Afghanistan. We have a 52-million-dollar micro-financing program underway in Afghanistan, as we said earlier on; and 157,000 clients have used it, 78 per cent of which were women.

[....]

There is also the Women's Rights Promotion Fund which received a 1.75-million-dollar CIDA contribution. The Human Rights and Development Centre advocates for women's rights through this promotional fund.

CIDA contributes $2.8 million to support the media. Through this project, women were trained in the field of communication and media in rural regions where most families have access to the radio.

The $90 million we were referring to earlier on also include a basic education initiative for girls in the order of three million dollars. [....]

Maybe you should read that last sentence again. $3-Million out of $90-Million for basic education for girls? How much is going on the radios and to what purpose other than perhaps for organizing women ... for some purpose ... maybe for schooling once they learn their rights ... or for entertainment. Maybe Canadians could pay next for online education delivered via radio or cell phone? Provincial governments have been busily developing programs.

What are the implications? Think about it. Think about the women being provided with cell phones in Africa and elsewhere and consider to what purpose. It boggles the mind. By the way, I've read the sewing machine bought through microcredit story in several accounts about microcredit. Maybe there is another success story that could be used? It might be productive to check further into microcredit, and the banking tentacles being developed. Much intriguing information ... if anyone is interested.

Information follows on the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)

Jan. 13, 2007: #3 CIDA - ARTF

Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)

The multilateral Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) was set up in May ... The ARTF is administered by the World Bank under the supervision of a ...

www.worldbank.org/artf

The multilateral Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) was set up in May 2002 to provide support to Afghanistan in two areas. First, it will provide for the recurrent costs of the government, such as the salaries of teachers, health workers, civilian staff in ministries and provinces, operations, and maintenance expenditures; and bulk purchases of essential goods for the government. Second, it would support investment projects, capacity building, feasibility studies, technical assistance, and the return of expatriate Afghans.

The ARTF is administered by the World Bank under the supervision of a Management Committee comprising the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the World Bank. A monitoring agent has been recruited to assist in ensuring proper fiduciary management. [....]

This is just chock-full of interesting information on ARTF and on the disbursements, for example:

Microfinance Project
ARTF Financing Amount: US$74.3 million

aims to assist the government in developing a sustainable microfinance sector that will provide flexible, convenient, and affordable financial services to poor people. The goal is to build an integrated financial sector and remove the barriers that separate the microfinance community from the broader mainstream financial system. In just over two years of operations, the project has provided more than US$50 million in funds, with US$26 million as loan portfolio outstanding and is now working with 13 microfinance institutions (MFIs). Currently, the project supports a network of over 128 branches, with more than 185,000 loan and savings clients in 19 provinces and 138 districts. Seventy-four percent of the clients are women, and the repayment rate is approximately 99%. The sector now employs over 1,500 Afghans (two-thirds are women) and has trained over 400 Afghans, including 25 managers in microfinance. [....]

The above sounds very akin to what was mentioned in the CIDA evidence presented to the Senate Committee from two officials from the Canadian International Development Agency: Hau Sing Tse, Vice-President of the Asia Branch, and Phillip Baker, Director of the Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Division.


Other programs:

Afghan Civil Service Capacity Building Program
ARTF Financing Amount: US$13 million

The first component—Afghan Expatriates Program (US$10 million)—will increase the contribution of professional Afghans living abroad in the reconstruction of Afghanistan by enhancing public sector policy and institutional capacity. This component also aims to close the skills gap in information technology, engineering, and teaching with well-trained overseas Afghans, by providing local Afghans with opportunities for on-the-job training to enhance their technical skills. Since September 2004, around 76 Afghan Experts have been placed in government ministries and agencies.

The second component—Lateral Entry Program (US$3 million)—includes a pilot phase, which aims to place 100 lateral entrants from NGOs and international organizations in middle- and senior-level line positions in government ministries and agencies [....]

A few other programs:

Recurrent and Capital Costs Window
ARTF Financing Amount: US$1,048 million [over a billion dollars]
Project Objective: The ARTF recurrent window finances salaries and wages of about 220,000 non-uniformed civil servants

Education Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP

The Rehabilitation of Telecommunications Systems Project

For more information on the ARTF, please contact Mr. David Freese , in the World Bank Office in Kabul, Afghanistan
E-mail: dfreese@ worldbank.org [remove spaces]


ARTF ExS - Afghanistan for Afghans -- ARTF Expatriates Services Program. ... ARTF ExS documents are viewable only in Adobe Acrobat Reader. For comments and suggestions, please email us at ... -- or here

www.artfexpat.gov.af/

This leads to International Organization for Migration

This website appears to be in Afghanistan but when I checked, it led to iom.org / iom.net / iom.int eventually -- ph = Philippines in the following:

"No A records exist for artfexpat.gov.af. [Neg TTL=43200 seconds] Details: mnllindns.iom.org.ph. (an authoritative nameserver for artfexpat.gov.af.) says that there are no A records for artfexpat.gov.af. The E-mail address in charge of the artfexpat.gov.af. zone is: dnsmaster@iom.int."

iom.int leads to the International Organization for Migration.

Jan. 13, 2007: Canatom NPM & Network Part 1

Note: When I began searching, using the acronyms I came across, sometimes, there was little information (e.g. searching CNUS); sometimes the full name was necessary. This is lengthy but the following are what I looked at in order to find out who benefit from Canadian taxpayers' largesse through the Canada Account of Export Development Canada. It was a long slog.


Canatom NPM, a "private" nuclear company, and its network of companies

I tried to learn whether all or just a few Canadians were benefitting from the EDC and Canada Account and from the nuclear industry, so I searched Canatom and Canatom NPM which led a network of companies, along with other issues, ending with trust funds set aside by Canadian power companies (for whom? for what?) and management of nuclear fuel waste which, apparently affects a number of natives. Had new nuclear facilities been planned in Canada, in the North or the West? Intriguing.

Unless you already know a bit, ownership appears very complex; yet, it becomes less so, once you consider Canadian politics, business and the exercise of power, as we have come to know their operation in Canada over the last several years. Quebec and SNC Lavalin have prospered from the Canada account's largesse, along with AECL and a few others.



Update Jan. 15, 2007: I added NWMO - Nuclear Waste Management Organization - to the screen capture




1967: Canatom founded - to provide nuclear engineering services
1982: NPM - Nuclear Projects Management - for project management, construction management, commissioning assistance and procurement of nuclear equipment

Sometime: [more below]
SNC-Lavalin and Monenco-Agra jointly owned Canatom

acilr-cdril.com/CD_No1/A_Web/A_Web1/
1979_1982_02_CTRSMPres_82Debelleval
2001FortierUunivalor.htm

Search: Armbro Canatom

www.google.com/search?q=cache:8EK4waU2
fHoJ:acilr-cdril.com/CD_No1/A_Web/
A_Web1/1979_1982_02_CTRSMPres_82
Debelleval2001FortierUunivalor.htm+arm
bro+canatom&hl=
en&gl=
ca&ct=clnk&cd=3

Canatom NPM is the largest Canadian private-sector engineering company operating exclusively in the nuclear field and, for the past 35 years, has been a key player in enabling the CANDU nuclear power system to compete successfully on the world scene. [with a little help from Canadian taxpayers]

This achievement would not have been possible without the foresight of the principals of the three founding engineering companies (Montreal Engineering, Shawinigan Engineering and Surveyer, Nenniger & Chenevert (SNC) - the original parent companies) in bringing together their nuclear expertise under one umbrella organization. This organization commanded the combined resources of these companies in the electric power and related fields dating back to the beginning of this century [the last century]. Throughout the entire period the other key ingredient to success was the close working relationship between Canatom NPM and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the developer and designer of the CANDU reactor.

The history of the company over the past third of a century is outlined in these pages. [....]

Argentina, Denmark, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Romania, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and U.S.A. [....]

Canatom NPM's Role in the Canadian Nuclear Industry

[....] Company Background

Canatom was formed in 1967 as a wholly owned subsidiary of 3 large Canadian engineering companies to provide services exclusively to the nuclear industry. Canatom has since changed from its original concept, and is now known as Canatom NPM, reflecting its engineering and construction abilities, as well as it "nuclear project management" capabilities. Canatom NPM is now owned by SNC-Lavalin (62%), and by BFC Construction (38%). [....]

BFC Construction Corp Profile [more below]
...
www.bfc.ca/
3660 Midland Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario, M1V 4V3, Canada

... over 10,000 employees.

BFC Construction Inc., formerly Banister Inc., ... publicly traded construction company operating in pipeline construction, underground, utility construction, nuclear and civil building and industrial construction. BFC operates through its subsidiaries BFC Construction Group Inc. and Tanknology Canada Inc. During 1998 the company acquired a 24% interest in Canatom NPM Inc. and QX Ltd., a company specializing in fibre optic cable splicing.

For close to a century, Armbro, BFC and the companies that united behind them have played a central role in building Canada and the infrastructure that binds the nation.

On June 18, 2001, these proud companies came together to share an exciting new future and a brand new name:

Aecon ... www.aecon.com

[There is more: Check Innovitech , CGI , CDG
www.innovitech.com/fr/equipe/ressources_fr.htm
CDG -- Télécharger le formulaire d'adhésion ]

SNC-Lavalin, Monenco-Agra, Foundation Nuclear, AECL formed NPM (Nuclear Projects Management) consortium

1998: Canatom NPM Inc. - formed from Canatom and NPM (Nuclear Projects Management) - approx. 250 employees

Since 1998: ownership of Canatom has changed to SNC-Lavalin (62%) and BFC Construction (38%)


CANATOM NPM

www.canatomnpm.ca/canatomnpm/default.asp?id=
361&template=projects_details.html

Early in 1997, AECL signed a contract with TQNPC (Third Qinshan Nuclear Power Co.) for the supply, construction management and commissioning of 2 x 700 MW CANDU units on a fixed, firm price basis. [....]

The Plant is divided into two major areas: NSP (Nuclear Steam Plant) and the BOP (Balance of Plant). The BOP scope includes buildings, structures and systems within the turbine building (T/B), T/B annex, water treatment plant, pumphouse, firewater supply system and transformer area.

The NSP scope includes the reactor building, the service building and other auxiliary structures, and all systems within these buildings and structures. The NSP is further divided into the Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) and Balance of Nuclear Steam Plant (BNSP).

The major participants and their roles are:

* TQNPC: Owner, BOP construction management, fuel supply and heavy water supply [see below]
* AECL: Main contractor, NSP design
* Bechtel-Hitachi Consortium: BOP design and equipment supply
* CANATOM NPM Inc.: Site project management, NSP construction management, commissioning management, NSP equipment supply, and BNSP design. [Balance of Nuclear Steam Plant]
* Chinese construction contractors: Construction

Press release -- or here

www.aecl.ca/NewsRoom/News/
Press-2006/061003.htm

More here on heavy water and plutonium

72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:um
d1ZSbr3vkJ:www.fas.org/
nuke/intro/nuke/heavy.htm+
heavy+water&hl=
en&gl=
ca&ct=
clnk&cd=5

"Heavy water is the key to one type of reactor in which plutonium can be bred from natural uranium. [ Remember the increased interest in Saskatchewan unranium? Posted on Frost Hits the Rhubarb in December 2006, I believe. ] As such, the production of heavy water has always been monitored, and the material is export controlled. In addition, a source of deuterium is essential for the production of tritium and 6LiD, two ingredients of thermonuclear weapons. A nation seeking large quantities of heavy water probably wishes to use the material to moderate a reactor, and may be planning to produce plutonium. However, CANDU (CANadian Deuterium Uranium) reactors designed and built in Canada are used for commercial electric power production. .... The Bruce Heavy Water Plant in Ontario, Canada, is the world’s largest producer of D2O." Adapted from - Nuclear Weapons Technology Militarily Critical Technologies List (MCTL) Part II: Weapons of Mass Destruction Technologies

More here, a Korean website:

syatt.kps.co.kr/english/press_room/b_1_96.html

syatt.kps.co.kr/english/press_room/b_1_98.html

Wei Guoliang, vice president of TQNPC (Third Qinshan Nuclear Power Company) and his party visited KPS" (Korea Plant Service and Engineering) Aug. 22, 2006."TQNPC [is] an affiliated power generation company of CNNC, holds 2 heavy water reactors (700MWe).

More here:
canteach.candu.org/library/20031901.pdf

72.14.205.104/search?q=
cache:sCWQpD1knmsJ:can
teach.candu.org/library
/20031901.pdf+TQNPC&hl=
en&gl=
ca&ct=
clnk&cd=3



More here: China National Nuclear Corporation

www.cnnc.com.cn/2005-09-01/000222688.html

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:nNhvx7XW6aoJ:www.cn
nc.com.cn/2005-09-01/
000222688.html+TQNPC&hl=
en&gl=
ca&ct=
clnk&cd=5



AECL: Qinshan -- or here

www.aecl.ca/Reactors/CANDU6/
CANDU6-Units/Qinshan.htm

[....] The contract will allow TQNPC and the Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research Institute, TQNPC's engineering subcontractor, to localize AECL's design and construct the first of approximately 10 storage modules. The project will take about three years to complete.

Michael Ingram, AECL's Vice President of CANDU Services added, "Our goal is to be a key contributor to the success of CANDU plants worldwide. Our patented MACSTOR [Modular Air-Cooled STORage] technology gives us the ability to help utilities manage their spent fuel safely, reduce overall costs while saving up to one-third of the space required by comparable systems." [....]

Jan. 13, 2007: Canatom NPM & Network Part 2

Pay special attention to:

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) ... 2003

The triangular relationship between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Aboriginal Peoples and the Government of Canada

Aboriginal Peoples have a role to play in assisting the Government ... the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste, particularly because of their traditional knowledge.

$880 million dollars
trust funds
The National Aboriginal Organisations
stakeholders


Canatom NPM & Network Part 2 -- a continuation of the post above

AECON and associates

AECON -- www.aecon.com -- here -- and here

www.aecon.com/Civil_Util
ities/Our_Team.aspx

72.14.205.104/search?q=
cache:-BkUAJpaSqIJ:www.ae
con.com/Civil_Utilities/Our_Team.aspx+
QX+Ltd+Ontario&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=7

QX Ltd. Ontario / QX Technical Services -- Mike Henderson Regional Manager

See also www.denison.on.ca/pages/portfolio/qx.html

Rocco Deliso Manager – QX Locates

ORCGA - Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance, Members as of April 2005 -- or here -- It appears to be a list of businesses for the industry.

www.orcga.com/images/Appendix%20B.pdf

www.google.com/
search?q=cache:jcPfEqienLQJ:ww
w.orcga.com/images/
Appendix%2520B.p
df+QX+Ltd+Ontario,+QX+
technical+services&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=6



BFC Armbro

BFC Construction Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Armbro Enterprises Inc.

Search: "Armbro Canatom" and "Armbro Enterprises Canatom Aecon"

About Aecon

www.aboutus.org/Aecon.com


ARMBRO Enterprises Inc. 2001 Annual Information Form -- or here and here

www.aecon.com/files/PDF/
Investing_in_us/2001_Ann
ual_Information_Form.pdf


www.google.com/search?q=
cache:lRkDO3L24CAJ:www.ae
con.com/files/PDF/Investing_in_us/
2001_Annual_Information_Form.pdf+arm
bro+canatom&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=2

www.answers.com/topic/aecon-group-inc


AECON Group -- here

www.aecon.com

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:pTYiymrr654J:www.ans
wers.com/topic/aecon-group-inc+B
FC+Construction+Gro
up+Inc.&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=3

[....] Evolving from the merger of several construction companies, Aecon was formed in 2001 after the union of two of Canada's largest construction groups, Armbro Enterprises and BFC Construction. Aecon Group, Canada's largest publicly traded construction company, is 48%-owned by Canadian Turner Construction (a subsidiary of German construction giant HOCHTIEF).

Officers:
Chairman and CEO: John M. Beck
EVP and CFO: Scott C. Balfour
VP Corporate Affairs: Mitch Patten

Armbro Enterprises is 48% owned by Hochtief AG (Germany) - Who own the other 52%?

Search: Armbro Canatom


Canatom NPM Inc. has four (or more) affiliated companies:

CS&W Nuclear
Amag - AMAG
CTECH (radioactive material management with AEA Tech - UK)
CNUS (nuclear consulting and management services)

"Canatom in partnership with GEC-Alstom (UK-France) made an unsuccessful bid for work at Qinshan" - but "received subcontracts from Bechtel and AECL"



CS&W Nuclear -- CS&W Inc. -- more here

www.cidr-report.org/cgi-bin/as-report?as=AS3845

Amag - amag-inc.com (?) (Dr. Armando Lopez) Advanced Measurement & Analysis Group, Inc. (AMAG) is a high-tech, Canadian company that focuses on providing performance monitoring and diagnostic services to the power and process industries. Is it one or all of these? ( www.amag.com/ ) -- amag.net ( asset management analysis group) -- www.amag.ch - which appears to be based in Switzerland (ch). More research needed.


CTECH and where that led

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)

www.nwmo.ca/default.aspx?DN=
608,237,199,20,1,Documents

[cdn-nucl-l] NWMO Releases Final Study Report
The report, Choosing a Way Forward: The Future Management of Canada's Used Nuclear Fuel is available for download from the NWMO website: -- www.nwmo.ca

mailman.mcmaster.ca/mailman/private/
cdn-nucl-l/0511/msg00006.html

www.nwmo.ca


NWMO - 6-9 Conceptual Designs for Used Nuclear Fuel Management the Joint Waste Owners - descriptions of current operations;; CTECH (a joint venture of CANATOM and AEA Technologies) - descriptions of siting ... -- here

www.nwmo.ca/default.aspx?DN=
608,237,199,20,1,Documents


www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/clickit/search?r_aid=
8EF9CFED293C435A98F132A69AE55830&r_eop=1&r_sacop=
2&r_spf=0&r_cop=main-title&r_snpp=1&r_spp=1&qqn=
8PF%3Ao0xS&r_coid=239138&rawto=http://w
ww.nwmo.ca/default.aspx?DN=608,237,199,20,1,Documents



Canatom NPM, CNUS and goodwill

Search: "CNUS , CPUSL" and "CNUS CPUSL SNC Lavalin"

SNC Lavalin Nuclear CNUS Division

www.canatomnpm.ca/canatomnpm/default.asp?id=290&template=othermenuoptions.html
There is another link on the above webpage to:

Ownership

A Private Company: Canatom NPM

SNC-Lavalin Inc. is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to acquire all remaining shares of Canatom NPM Inc. held by AECON Construction Group Inc., and will become the sole owner of the Toronto company. , 1/18/2004

www.canatomnpm.ca/canatomnpm/de
fault.asp?id=1392&template=
news_details.html

[....] "This acquisition will allow us to further maximise opportunities in the nuclear field based on the combined technical strengths of our Canatom employees with those of SNC-Lavalin employees," said Klaus Triendl, Executive Vice-President, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. "It will send a clear message to our Ontario clients, and those in the rest of Canada and worldwide, that we are committed to servicing the industry."

[....] "We are pleased with this new 100% ownership by SNC-Lavalin," said Patrick Lamarre, President of Canatom, "it will strengthen our position as a single source service provider to the nuclear industry, with specialisation in carrying out major projects and arranging project financing." [....]

www.canatomnpm.ca/canatomnpm/profile/brochure.pdf -- here

www.google.com/search?q=cache:7FOJL3EO6ToJ:ww
w.canatomnpm.ca/canatomnpm/profile/brochure.pdf+
CNUS+Canatom+NPM&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=2


Canadian Nuclear Association -- here

cna.ca/english/members.asp

www.google.com/search?q=cache:AB1fzAn42m0J:cna.ca/
english/members.asp+Canadian+Nuclear+Util
ity+Services&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=4

SNC Lavalin Nuclear Inc. = Canatom NPM -- "SNC-Lavalin Nuclear (formaly [sic] known as Canatom NPM) is the largest private sector nuclear engineering company in Canada."

www.canatomnpm.ca




CNUS - CPUS Limited (CPUSL)

Search: Canadian Nuclear Utility Services (not CNUS)

The first entry is CPUS Limited (CPUSL) Canadian Power Utilities Services, Pres. and CEO Jordan Chau, (with VP Derek Mori and VP Mike Jansen), KR 230-800 Kipling Ave. Toronto, Ont. M8Z 6Z4.

CPUSL / CPUS Ltd. -- here

www.cpusl.com/

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:kQZTQaOnU5QJ:www.cpu
sl.com/+Canadian+Nuclear+Util
ity+Services&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=1

More: in Chinese characters -- a database? [db_ChineseBasedemoDetail]
China Atomic Information Network -- here

www.atominfo.com.cn/database/
db_ChineseBasedemoDetail.aspx?id=0303187

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:zkMfq_wyckoJ:www.atom
info.com.cn/database/
db_ChineseBasedemoDetail.as
px%3Fid%3D0
303187+CNUS+Can
atom+NPM&hl=en&gl=
ca&ct=clnk&cd=17

Canadian Nuclear Conference, June 3 - 5, 2002 -- here

216.13.130.
157/CNS_Conferences/
Search/2002-1.htm

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:zj8fZx1c-wMJ:216.
13.130.157/
CNS_Conferences/Search/
2002-1.htm+CNUS+Can
atom+NPM&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=16

Integrated Safety Review for the Point Lepreau Refurbishment for Life Extension C.K. Scott (ANSL), R. Jeppesen (CNUS), A.R. McKenzie (ANSL), M.-A. Petrilli (AECL), P.D. Thompson (NBP)

Canadian Nuclear Society Conference Papers -- here

www.cns-snc.
ca/CNS_Conferences/
conference_index.html


72.14.205.
104/search?q=
cache:zj8fZx1c-wMJ:216.13.130.
157/CNS_Conferences/Search/
2002-1.htm+CNUS+Can
atom+NPM&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=16


2002: CNUS becomes part of Canatom NPM which is owned by SNC Lavalin and associates

CANATOM NPM and SCIENTECH CANADA REACH AGREEMENT ON OWNERSHIP OF CANADIAN NUCLEAR UTILITY SERVICES (CNUS)

Oakville, ON, Canada: On April 9, 2002, CANATOM NPM Inc. reached an agreement with Scientech Canada Inc. on the sale of SCIENTECH Canada’s 50 percent ownership of Canadian Nuclear Utility Services (CNUS) to CANATOM NPM. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. [Who owns the other 50%?]

CNUS provides a select range of specialized utility engineering and procurement services to the nuclear industry. This acquisition will complement Canatom NPM’s growing services business and enhance their excellent reputation in the nuclear industry. CNUS will exist in the Canatom organization as a division of the company. [....]

Jordan Chou, CANATOM NPM – CNUS Division President: ....

CNUS
Point Lepreau Refurbishment: Plant Condition Assessment
P.J. Allen, M.R. Soulard, F. David (AECL), G. Clefton (Canadian Nuclear Utility Services), R. Weeks (NBP) -- here

www.cns-snc.ca/
CNS_Conferences/Search/2001-1.htm

72.14.205.104/search?q=
cache:oyMMDzLcdlEJ:www.cns-snc.ca/
CNS_Conferences/
Search/2001-1.htm+Canadian+Nuclear+Util
ity+Services&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=6



NWMO - Nuclear Waste Management Organization

From further, but limited, search, I found:

Canadian Nuclear Utility Services (CNUS) = CPUS Limited (CPUSL) Canadian Power Utilities Services -- CTECH is a joint venture of CANATOM--or SNC Lavalin and ?--and AEA Technologies. - Check connection to Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)



It is usually instructive to see who comprise any organization touted as "advising" a government, beginning in 2002 or 2003, advising the Liberal government of the day. I noted NWMO but there seemed to be little information on it until I found the following and worked backward.

Minister's Statement on the 2005 NWMO Annual Report

www.nfwbureau.gc.ca/english/
View.asp?x=645&oid=41

On March 28, 2006, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) submitted its fourth annual report under the Nuclear Fuel Waste (NFW) Act. The report highlights activities carried out in 2005 to fulfill key requirements of the NFW Act, notably the submission of its study of options on the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste, as presented in "Choosing a Way Forward." The study outlined the following four options:

[....] The independent Advisory Council, established by the NWMO under the NFW Act, continued to provide advice to the organization. In January 2005, the Council, made up of technical and social experts, [....]

"The Nuclear Fuel Waste Bureau within my department, Natural Resources Canada, met regularly over the past year with the NWMO, and continued to oversee the activities of the NWMO, nuclear utilities and AECL. The Bureau also continued to interact with national Aboriginal organizations who submitted their consolidated reports to my office as required under the contribution agreements (see www.nfwbureau.gc.ca/english/view.asp?x=641)." [Current Min. of Natural Resources, The Hon. Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P.]

Aboriginal Peoples

www.nfwbureau.gc.ca/english/view.asp?x=641

[....] The triangular relationship between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Aboriginal Peoples and the Government of Canada

[....] Indeed Aboriginal Peoples have a role to play in assisting the Government in making the best decision possible on which approach Canada will adopt for the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste, particularly because of their traditional knowledge.

Re-read that. Traditional knowledge will help determine long-term management of nuclear fuel waste management. What had been planned for aboriginal lands in the nuclear waste department? Remember the haste with which agreements were signed with aboriginals under Mr. Scott (former Minister of Indian Affairs) by regulation? That was not the usual manner of making agreements -- outside Parliamentary scrutiny, as I recall. Check further. Where is spent nuclear material to be used in Chinese nuclear plants going? Will there be more nuclear plants built for the oil sands area? Check further.

[....] The report also highlights the financial contributions made to date by Ontario Power Generation, New Brunswick Power, Hydro-Québec and AECL. These contributions are to be used to implement the government approach for the long-term management of nuclear fuel waste. Since the NFW Act was passed in 2002, a total of $880 million has been invested in the trust funds. [....]

What trust funds? For what purpose? Who would benefit?

[....] The Nuclear Fuel Waste Bureau continues to maintain contacts with the five National Aboriginal Organisations.

The National Aboriginal Organisations are:

The Métis National Council
The Assembly of First Nations
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
The Native Women's Association of Canada [....]

Search earlier reports and note the words: "sustainable", "ethical", "social".

NWMO News V2.3 October 2004 -- NWMO was an advisory group set up under a previous government -- "engaging Canadians, stakeholders and experts to develop a sustainable, ethically and socially ... "

Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Canada, June 25, 2003 -- or here . Check: www.nwmo.ca

www.nwmo.ca/default.aspx?DN=935,113,19,1,Documents

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:COfqLCarGDQJ:ww
w.nwmo.ca/default.aspx%3FDN%3D9
35,113,19,1,Documents+nw
mo&hl=
en&gl=ca&ct=
clnk&cd=2

There seems to have been an error on that website: "Due to an editing error, incorrect dates for some Information and Discussion Sessions appeared in an electronic version of the NWMO newsletter (Volume 2, Number 3) originally posted on the NWMO website." [NWMO News V2.3 October 2004]

However, there appears to be a copy of the original, or at least part of one, at Royal Roads website (BC):

NWMO Assessment Framework - e-Roundtable 2 Group #2 -- Applying the NWMO Assessment Framework, Determining the Gaps ...

Royal Roads: e-dialogues

Nuclear Waste Nov. 2004 -- or for the above NWMO Assessment Framework- e-Roundtable 2 Group #2 on Search Google

Note: Every time I tried to post the url for Google's html copy, this was mangled. Search and check the html for that file.

www.royalroads.net/edialogues/
nuclear/Nuclear_Waste_2_Nov_2004.pdf

www.google.com/search?q=
cache:PebdabNHSnkJ:ww
w.royalroads.net/edialogues/
nuclear/Nuclear_Waste_2_
Nov_2004.pdf+nw
mo&hl=en&gl=
ca&ct=
clnk&cd=26

www.e-Dialogues.ca
Royal Roads University
NWMO Assessment Framework
November 29th, 2004, 10am –12noon PST
Moderated by Dr. Ann Dale

This e-dialogue involved young Canadians from youth and academic organizations, organized into four e-round tables, later joined by some audience members. The e-round tables were co-moderated by Jamie Doyle, Senior Project Manager, Jacques Whitford, Environment Ltd; Lenore Newman, Post-Doctoral Scholar, RRU Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Community Development; Doug Seeley, Professor, Science, Technology and Environment Division, and Nancy Averill, Director of Research, Public Policy Forum. The e-panelists applied the Assessment Framework developed by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to the three storage options now under consideration--storage at reactor sites; centralized storage and deep geological storage to determine its robustness for decision-making and to identify any gaps.

Group #2 -- Applying the NWMO Assessment Framework, Determining the Gaps [....]

From what I read ... mention of--perhaps a concentration on--youth and social experts concerning nuclear waste (I would have expected scientists, technical advisors, people learned in the ramifications of long term storage of nuclear waste), I am left still wondering what had been planned? Maybe the following has something to do with it.


The following excerpt is shocking, if correct; nevertheless, there does seem to have been something planned affecting at least some of Canada's natives (where? in the north? the west?) concerning nuclear waste. Why?

Had there been nuclear reactors planned for Canada's North? For the West? What had been planned that hydro companies had to set aside millions of dollars in trusts ... and for whom?

Another assessment: "Choosing a Way Forward” Has Chosen a Way Backwards
A Report Card on the Nuclear Waste Management Organization pdf -- or here

www.cnp.ca/nww/nww-report-card.pdf

[....] The NWMO has refused to rule out the importation of radioactive waste -- raising the possibility that Canada could become an international radioactive waste dump. Indeed, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the President of NWMO, has stated that Canada may have an “ethical” obligation to accept foreign radioactive waste (Peter Calamai, “CANDU waste could haunt us”, Toronto Star, December 26, 2003, p. A24).

Final Grade F Failure

Then federal Natural Resources Minister, Herb Dhaliwal:
Minister's Statement on the 2002 NWMO Annual Report -- or here

www.nfwbureau.gc.ca/english/view.asp?x=
645&oid=19

On March 28, 2003, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) submitted its first annual report to me under the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (NFW Act).

Address: Nuclear Waste Management Organization [NWMO]
49 Jackes Avenue First Floor
Toronto Ontario Canada M4T 1E2

The report shows that much effort has been spent in a relatively short period of time since the establishment of the NWMO in October 2002: the formation of the NWMO organizational structure (including the creation of the Board of Directors, the appointment of a President and the establishment of a head office in Toronto);

the establishment of trust funds by the nuclear utilities and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL);

the deposit of first payments into the trust funds to a total of $550 million;

the establishment of the NWMO Advisory Council; and,

the beginning of public consultations (through the NWMO´s Web site and informal meetings with a broad range of stakeholders).

President Elizabeth Dowdeswell has made certain that public input is sought at the outset on NWMO activities and proposed plans. In the short time since its establishment, the NWMO has taken an impressive first step toward a comprehensive outreach program. [....]

Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources
Natural Resources Canada
June 25, 2003

Jan. 13, 2007: Currency -- Memory Lane

China Set To Reduce Exposure To Dollar

Move Would Probably Push Currency Down , Peter S. Goodman with files from Eva Woo, Washington Post Foreign Service, Tuesday, January 10, 2006; Page D01

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/arti
cle/2006/01/09/AR2006010901042.html

SHANGHAI, Jan. 9 -- China has resolved to shift some of its foreign exchange reserves -- now in excess of $800 billion -- away from the U.S. dollar and into other world currencies in a move likely to push down the value of the greenback ....

.... China's fears that too much of its savings is tied up in the dollar, a currency widely expected to drop in value as the U.S. trade and fiscal deficits climb. [....]

Not all economists anticipate negative repercussions for the U.S. economy. Were China and Japan to engineer a significant fall in the dollar, those nations also would suffer the consequences -- sharply diminished exports as Americans lose spending power, plus a drop in the value of their dollar assets. [....]

Warnings about an impending Chinese sell-off in dollars emerged in July [2005], as China slightly altered the way it sets the value of its currency, the yuan, ... shifting from a system in which the yuan moves with changes in the dollar to one where it tracks a basket of currencies including the yen, the euro, the Hong Kong dollar and the South Korean won.

The move temporarily muted criticism on Capitol Hill from those who accuse China of currency manipulation, asserting that an artificially low yuan has made China's goods unfairly cheap on world markets. But as the implications of the new currency policy rippled out, some analysts suggested that China would thereafter have less need for dollars and greater need for the other currencies in the new basket, sending the greenback down and risking higher U.S. interest rates that would dampen economic growth. [....]

Memory Lane: Frost Hits the Rhubarb July 17 - 23, 2005 -- Irvings LNG, Port, Nuclear Power, NB Power, Feds: Political Business as Usual, Buy "Canadian"!
Search that webpage for:

A little background: Nuclear Power - New Brunswick Power -- "Proposed Irving power plant will affect N.B. decision about nuclear station by Chris Morris" , CP, October 26/2004

China's vast Canadian and Australian espionage revealed by defectors
discardedlies.com/entries/2005/06/chinas_vast_cana
dian_and_australian_espionage_revealed_by_defectors.php

Think of foreign aid to China, Canadians' tax dollars; The Librano$ gave $50-M to China in Aid [www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/002201.html] Now the Chinese have more money left to buy Canadian assets and to bid on US ones like Unocal.

... at the G-8, Canada promised ... $3-BILLION Canadian taxpayers' dollars

An uproar in Canada over the latest revelations led to a law being passed allowing the government to block China from buying stakes in national security-critical industries.

www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2005/
06/21/afx2103069.html