There was never any hardship, but perhaps as a supplement to your question about the timing, international conventions that are contributory in nature, that involve money and payments of claim are a matter, of course, of entering or joining the convention at the right time. I think it is the case that it serves very little purpose to be the first party to ratify a convention if the rest of the world hasn't done it yet. This also plays into the timing issue. I think, certainly in terms of the oil pollution conventions, yes, it is high time that Canada ratifies that.
On April 21st, 2009. See this statement in context.