Premier Romanow's Shining Light To The World: The Canadian Light Source Synchrotron
By Mario deSantis, April 5, 1999
	Finally Premier Romanow was able to put Saskatchewan on the map of the world and show
Premier Romanow did not maintain his promises of a compassionate, progressive and democratic government but a new Source of Light came to his rescue	his vision of "...shining light to the world..."(1) Premier Romanow did not maintain his promises
	of a compassionate, progressive and democratic government but a new Source of Light came to
	his rescue and save another electoral win: the Canadian Light Source synchrotron(2). This new
	technological research facility will be running at full capacity in year 2008 and its cost has been
	set at $173.5 million. When completed in 2003, the synchrotron will be about the size of the
	Colosseum in Rome and will employ about 200 technicians and scientists starting in the year
	2008(3). The bigness and the long term effects of this project were put in a proper dimensional
	perspective by Saskatoon's mayor Henry Dayday "...It's one of the greatest things that's hit
	the city... it can't be measured... but it has tremendous impact..."(4) Russ Huebner, an expert in
	the commercial applications of researches undertaken at synchrotrons, observed that it may take
	over a decade to attract private-sector clients, but he also stated that synchrotrons "...have long
	lifetimes once they are up and running, between 30 and 50 years..."(5) Our political and business
	leaders expect great economic growth from the construction of the synchrotron, at least until year
	2003.
	Our Premier Roy Romanow was excited about the synchrotron landing in Saskatoon and confident
Saskatchewan will change for ever: after seeing so many cement elevators rising up to the sky	of winning the next election expressed his feelings in this poetic form "...It's a source of light, not
	only in the practical sense, but a visionary light in a philosophical sense..."(6) Under the vision of
	our Premier, the landscaping of Saskatchewan will change for ever: after seeing so many cement
	elevators rising up to the sky throughout the countryside our expectations are finally getting lower
	and spreading out with the new Colosseum in Saskatoon. There is no doubt, Premier Romanow's
	vision of becoming the shining light to the world has finally materialized.
	The Saskatoon's synchrotron will be the biggest scientific project ever built in Canada, in fact, as
The Government has absolutely no understanding of the connection between a healthy university and these big successful economic projects	already mentioned, it will be about the size of the Colosseum in Rome. The high cost of this
	project,along with the related unknown operational expenses, will undoubtedly divert the
	provincial resources needed to support our educational system. The landing of the synchrotron in
	Saskatoon comes at a time when our school boards have no money for providing our own
	students with textbooks(7), and when our universities are being underfunded(8). George Ivany,
	President of the University of Saskatchewan explains "...The Government has absolutely no
	understanding of the connection between a healthy university and these big successful economic
	projects..."(9) Further, commenting on the new opportunities opening up with the building of the
	synchrotron, Franco Berruti, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of
	Saskatchewan, states "...We are extremely strapped for resources for setting out the critical
	core of our operation, forget about immediately jumping into new opportunities..."(10) One
	thought comes to my mind, is this synchrotron for the benefit of our children or for
	Premier Romanow?
-----Endnotes:
1. - -	NOTES FOR REMARKS by Premier Roy Romanow to the Annual Convention of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1997 http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/saskndp/SPEECHES/convention_speech_97.html (as at April 2/99)
2. -	SYNCHROTRON GETS GREEN LIGHT: Field of beams, by Gerry Klein, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
3. -	Lightsource accelerates city's economic prospects, by Joanne Paulson, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
4. -	Lightsource accelerates city's economic prospects, by Joanne Paulson, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
5. -	Business excited about project's possible economic spinoffs, by James Parker, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
6. -	This time, Canada works the way it should, by Randy Burton, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
7. -	My son Eric attends grade 12 at the local high school in Nipawin, Saskatchewan, and I came to know that many students don't have textbooks for different subjects including mathematics.
8. -	U of S feels budget squeeze, by Gerry Klein, The StarPhoenix, March 27, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
9. -	Some fear synchrotron project may drain university finances, by Kim McNairn, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
10. -	Some fear synchrotron project may drain university finances, by Kim McNairn, The StarPhoenix, April 1, 1999, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.