Under clause 61, the operator pays. This is worked out mathematically. It pays the amount equal to the $650 million, less any amounts the operator already paid before the declaration was made and the total of all amounts paid by the minister under the act. So the minister demands the money, the actual money, not the full $650 million. He demands the amount required to cover the claims in that year under subclause 61.(4). Under subclause 61.(5), that's a debt due to Her Majesty in right of Canada and may be recovered in accordance with section 155 of the Financial Administration Act, which basically contains all the mechanisms at the government's disposal to get the money.
On December 7th, 2009. See this statement in context.