Feds bullish on nuclear: Minister visits Sask. north – by Glenn Hicks (LaRongeNow.com – March 10, 2020)

https://larongenow.com/

“Show me a credible plan that doesn’t involve nuclear.” That’s the strong endorsement for Saskatchewan’s uranium sector from federal Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O’Regan who has just wrapped a visit to the North.

O’Regan, who has been minister for a few months, said he wanted to acquaint himself with the world’s richest uranium mine at Cigar Lake and also visit the various northern communities who rely on mining jobs, such as Hatchet Lake, Black Lake and Fond du Lac. But he also carried with him an unequivocal message about Ottawa’s stance on nuclear as part of the route toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

“There is no way that we can reach net-zero without nuclear energy, and there is no way we can reach net-zero without the mining industry,” he told paNOW. “When we talk of a carbon-free future we often point to things like electric cars. Well, they’re built of something: they’re built with metals and minerals.”

O’Regan also pointed to the nation’s mining sector as being primed to respond to the increased demand for emerging commodities for clean tech such as solar panels, wind turbines and digital hardware.

Asked what his message was to those Canadians who were opposed to a nuclear future, he said the government was committed to it and reaching its climate change goals. “We’re serious about this. You need to roll up your sleeves and deal with the world as it is,” he said.

For the rest of this article: https://larongenow.com/2020/03/10/feds-bullish-on-nuclear-minister-visits-sask-north/