Challenges of measuring the determinants of aboriginal attitudes toward nuclear power generation in the Northern Territories

Small modular reactors have been touted as a possible source of reliable energy for remote communities and mines in the northern territories of Canada. Evidence suggests that Aboriginals are more likely than other Canadians to have a negative attitude toward nuclear power generation. Given that social and political support is vital for a vibrant nuclear industry, negative public attitudes toward nuclear energy and nuclear power generation have had particularly notable and far-reaching consequences. Consequently, there is a need to study the determinants of Aboriginal attitudes toward nuclear power generation. This technical note outlines potential challenges related to the collection of ethnographic data on the determinants of Aboriginal attitudes toward nuclear power. These problems include incomplete telephone coverage, accessibility, linguistic difficulties, and a compressed data collection time frame due to weather and cultural practices. (author)