Natural Resources committee  In the current legislation, the limit is 10 years for a bodily injury. We recognize, because of the scientific evidence, that certain cancers are only experienced or are latent until some 20 to 23 years after radiation exposure. That is why we have moved, similar to the international conventions, to the 30-year limit.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you very much. Yes, under the current legislation low-risk facilities, such as the Slowpoke reactors or other research reactors at educational institutions, have a lower limit of liability under commercial insurance they're required to carry. Then the federal government covers the difference between the amount of commercial insurance they are required to carry and the full liability limit of the legislation.

Natural Resources committee  The bill mirrors the convention in this regard on these two items. The operator has no right of recourse against any person other than an individual who intentionally caused the nuclear incident by an act or omission. There has to be intention there to cause the nuclear incident by act or omission.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you very much. It's with respect to the Indian situation. They have signed the convention for supplementary compensation, but they have not yet ratified it. One of the issues associated with their failure to ratify it is the fact that they have not channelled all the liability to the operator.

Natural Resources committee  Yes. We expect Japan will sign the CSC, the convention on supplementary compensation, before the end of this calendar year and then proceed to ratification.

Natural Resources committee  Certainly. Thank you very much for the question. On proclamation of the act, the amount of liability would be $650 million. One year after that date, it would rise to $750 million. Two years after the date of proclamation it would rise to $850 million, and then three years after the date of proclamation, it would rise to a billion dollars.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you very much. Yes, this bill has undergone quite a bit of consultation since it was first introduced, of course, in an earlier form. Most recently, however, and as Mr. Labonté indicated, because the bill has been before committee twice previously, we've been able to benefit from the comments that have been made by committee members and witnesses on the bill, and that's gone into, I think, building a stronger piece of legislation.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you very much. I think Mr. Labonté has covered it off fairly well. The key elements would be that it clarifies jurisdiction, which operator is liable in the event of damage that was transboundary or in a transportation incident. The convention also has a public fund associated with it, which brings additional compensation to a member country in the event of an incident.

Natural Resources committee  Certainly. By virtue of the fact that we are members of a treaty, a convention with another country, that member country accepts the terms of jurisdiction, the same rules of liability that we do. So it makes it easier for our contractors or contractors in other countries to do work across boundary.

Natural Resources committee  Certainly. We're quite diversified in terms of our uranium exports already. Cameco, which is the largest Canadian uranium producer in Canada, ships roughly a third of its uranium to the Americas, so to North America and South America, with another third to Asia and another third to Europe.

Natural Resources committee  There's no commitment. There's no requirement. The limit will be $650 million. The only commitment is to table a report estimating the amount of damages.

Natural Resources committee  Under the legislation, there isn't, but in an incident, one could contemplate the very unlikely situation that it could be in excess of $650 million.

Natural Resources committee  No, the billion dollars is the limit, times the installations.

Natural Resources committee  It provides a mechanism--

Natural Resources committee  --that requires Parliament to address the issue.