The outgoing mayor of South Bruce says Monday’s municipal election was a “mini referendum” on the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s proposed Deep Geologic Repository for storing nuclear waste.
Incumbent Robert Buckle finished in a tie for second place in the election with 788 votes, losing the mayorship to current councillor Mark Goetz, who garnered 1,311 votes to claim victory.
“Yes. Instead of sitting on the fence…I should have been in favour of the economic growth and what it would mean to the area” said Buckle when asked it he regrets his position on the critical election issue. “I wanted to make sure that the NWMO came forward with a lot of financial, mutual benefits.”
The proposal to construct a DGR in South Bruce was a major issue during the municipal election, as the NWMO requires a willing host community, something Buckle wanted to determine as a separate vote after the election, and studies about the DGR’s impact were completed.
“In hindsight, I should’ve supported it a lot more than sitting on the fence” added the two-term mayor, who confirms he will not seek election in four years.
Buckle says he’s “not bitter,” but says the election results show that the citizens of South Bruce are for the DGR being constructed.
“This election was a mini-referendum to know where the community stands on the nuclear waste project,” he said. “The public has supported it because none of the five candidates that ran against it got elected. Now the public has spoken, so I can sit back, and enjoy my retirement.”
