Welcome to our third and last e-dialogue on the management of nuclear waste in Canada. This critical public policy issue highlights many of the sustainable development issues we are currently facing. Often, information is incomplete, the science uncertain, but more critically, the stakes are high, the issue contentious and values are in dispute. How then, does one make decisions in such conditions of risk and uncertainty?

The first two e-dialogues in this series raised a number of key points concerning decision-making around the management of nuclear waste. First, making no decision may be the worst of all possible scenarios. Second, what is the appropriate scale of decision-making since the decisions of one country may affect and/or influence actions by other countries? How do we include functional diversity and respect the plurality of values and perspectives without compromising the integrity of the decision-making process? Who gets to frame the issues? Who gets to ask the questions? What is the best forum for reaching consensus, or revealing critical points of non-consensus?

Tune in for a fascinating on-line dialogue on this critical public policy issue affecting all Canadians. Moderated by Dr. Ann Dale, Trudeau Fellow and Canada Research Chair on Sustainable Community Development, our panelists listed below will share from their wisdom and diverse experiences in this field.

Christopher Henderson is Chief Executive Officer of The Delphi Group.	Jim MacNeill, O.C., D.Sc., LL.D. Until recently Chairman of the World Bank’s Independent Inspection Panel in Washington D.C. Dr. MacNeill was also Secretary General of the the Brundtland Commission.
Norman Rubin is Director of Nuclear Research and Senior policy Analyist at Energy Probe, Toronto, Ontario.	Dr. Andy Stirling is a Senior Lecturer at SPRU – science and technology policy research, at the University of Sussex.

The following two articles provide some insight into this decision making process:"Adaptive Management in the Canadian Nuclear Waste Program" by Kai N. Lee and "The Precautionary Approach To Risk Appraisal” by Andy Stirling.

For further reading on this topic please go to the Readings page.

Royal Roads University
Science, Technology & Environment Division
edialogues@royalroads.ca