Karen Weaver was mayor of Flint, Michigan during the height of the city’s water crisis, which was caused when state officials failed to safeguard the drinking water. Mitch Twolan is mayor of Huron-Kinloss in Ontario. He thinks officials can maintain safety at a proposed nuclear storage facility on the shores of Lake Huron. The two mayors meet for a frank exchange of views in this episode, which originally aired on the Canadian network TVO as part of the “Political Blind Date” series.
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Premieres on DPTV
Wednesday, October 27, at 7:30 PM
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Former Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, Huron-Kinloss Township Mayor Mitch Twolan, and Ontario Power Generation Senior Manager Fred Kuntz tour the storage facilities at Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power plant in Kincardine, Ontario. (Photo Credit: Open Door Co./Nomad Films Inc.)
A Political Blind Date
FULL EPISODE | Flint, Michigan; Huron-Kinloss, Ontario; Walkerton, Ontario
Karen Weaver was mayor of Flint, Michigan during the height of the city’s water crisis, which was caused when state officials failed to safeguard the drinking water.
When authorities say, “Don’t worry,” she worries.
Mitch Twolan is mayor of Huron-Kinloss in Ontario. He thinks officials can maintain safety at a proposed nuclear storage facility on the shores of Lake Huron.
The two mayors meet for a frank exchange of views in this episode, which originally aired on the Canadian network TVO as part of the “Political Blind Date” series.
“This is a learning exercise about doing something with an issue that we have right now, and that’s nuclear waste,” says Twolan. “It’s being stored above ground. Is that the most realistic way of handling the waste for now, and in the foreseeable future? I don’t think it is.”
Here is other Great Lakes Now work on politics and the Great Lakes:
Biden appoints Debra Shore to lead EPA Midwestern office
Q&A: Doctor who exposed Flint’s lead levels sees similarities in Benton Harbor water crisis
Hoping to avoid Enbridge Line 5 shutdown, Canada asks U.S. to negotiate
Here is other Great Lakes Now work on the Flint water crisis:
Seven Years On: The Flint water crisis has yet to conclude
How much should lawyers make in the Flint water crisis settlement?
‘Some crumbs’: Critics urge rejection of $641M Flint deal
Here is other Great Lakes Now work on nuclear energy:
Nuclear Question: Debate continues over long-term storage of nuclear waste in the Great Lakes
Animal Check: New project to monitor aquatic species that live near proposed nuclear storage sites
2 nuke plants, 1 bribery scandal, no answers: Towns on edge
Unexploded Ordnance: Lake Erie shoreline site of long-term munitions study
Videos from Episode 1030
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Ski Slopes and Saunas
A skier’s paradise on Lake Superior shores, Great Lakes sauna culture and more.
Big Fish and Gray Skies
Great Lakes muskellunge, optimizing solar panels for snow, and another short winter.
Buried Relics and Falling Water – Episode 2401
A Great Lakes archeological dig site and power generation along the Niagara River.
Surf and Slide – Episode 2203 Rebroadcast
Sailing on ice, Lake Ontario winter surfing and three Lake Michigan news stories.
Rivers of Water and Sand – Episode 2311
Explore Indiana’s shoreline erosion dilemma and Michigan dam removal efforts.
Wild Islands and Salty Visitors – Episode 2310
Tracking wolves and moose on Isle Royale, and piloting Great Lakes freighters.
Trails and Wetlands – Episode 2309
Mountain biking Great Lakes trails and the U.S. Supreme Court’s impact on wetlands.
Ancient Rocks, Tender Fruit – Episode 2308
Rock hunting along Great Lakes shorelines and Niagara farmers adapt to water scarcity.
eFoiling and Unpaid Bills – Episode 2307
An encore presentation of stories about eFoiling, water infrastructure, and The Catch.
A Better Future – Episode 2306
A community fights for a cleaner future, creatively tackling food waste, and The Catch.
Freighter Madness – Episode 2305
Breaking down an old Great Lakes freighter and feeding a giant freighter’s crew.
Maple Syrup and Storing Energy – Episode 2304
Climate change impacts maple syrup and a Toronto company’s push toward renewable power.
Fading Stars and River Bugs – Episode 2303
Citizen scientists chart the night sky, measure the health of a river and The Catch.
Featured Articles
Points North: More Than Just a Filet of Fish
Iceland has figured out how to use almost 100% of every fish caught — not just the filet. By making things like durable leather, it’s increased the value of an Atlantic cod from about $15 to over $5,000. Can this approach help the struggling Great Lakes fishery?
Children of Flint water crisis make change as young environmental and health activists
Dozens of the children of Flint, Michigan’s lead-contaminated water crisis have turned their trauma into advocacy 10 years after it began.
PFAS New Roundup: PFAS are shown to be unique bipartisan voting concern in Wisconsin
Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.
Marbled crayfish raises eyebrows, and concerns
Cloning crustacean were found several miles from Lake Ontario.
Digital Credits
The Great Lakes Now Series is produced by Rob Green and Sandra Svoboda.