You should have a look at the new legislation they want to put through regarding Nuclear Safety (http://www.parl.gc.ca/LEGISINFO/index.asp?
Language=E&query=5289&List=toc)
I get the impression, they want to deregulate the government's role if any "nuclear incident" happens - especially since they love to bow to the industry (read "operator") on this topic. It is the old "I didn't do anything, it's all their fault I didn't pay attention"...
I'm not so certain that Canadians would object to this if they knew more about it.
Certainly not people in Saskatchewan, a HUGE uranium supplier who now have to sell the unprocessed material to other countries rather than processing the material in Canada and then selling the value-added product. I mean, am I to believe that Canadians are less trustworthy than Americans or the French? That we're a greater security risk? That we're more likely to sell weapons grade nuclear materials to rogue states than the countries who currently process the raw uranium we sell them (setting aside for the moment that the type of processing that's being talked about here isn't anywhere NEAR weapons grade to begin with).
I understand why people are a bit worried about letting Iran process uranium to less than weapons grade standards for peaceful purposes, but us???
C'mon.
The CONS... - Good catch - it's always been clear that the nuclear industry required loads of special treatment to get around the fact that it's uninsurable, but the liability cap figures to put the risk of a serious nuclear incident squarely on people in the vicinity of operations rather than on the operators themselves.
LKO - My impression is that the public is leery of nuclear development generally if it's presented with any choice in the matter. Even if Canada can process uranium with no greater safety risk than the U.S. or France, is there really much desire to take that risk at all (other than among the Cons' friends in the industry)?
LKO--well, I would have considered Canada a relatively reliable country for enrichment to take place, *UNTIL* the Cons set about politicising the regulatory apparatus.
Commenting by HaloScan
