Shawn-Patrick Stensil [Huffington post] Imagine you could go to Las Vegas, and it didn't matter how much you bet, you could only lose $100. Wouldn't you take bigger risks? Of course you would. Unfortunately this is precisely the scenario facing the nuclear industry.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has proposed a new law to shield nuclear companies from responsibility in the event of an accident. If passed Bill C-22 would cap the liability of reactor operators to $1 billion after a reactor accident.
This is a pittance. It means that the event of Fukushima-scale accident, reactor operators would be responsible for less than 1 per cent of damage they cause. Canadians would cover the rest.
Worse, Bill C-22 would completely absolve companies that design or service Canada's reactors of responsibility — even if their negligence caused an accident.
The bill tells nuclear companies it's okay for them to have no skin in the game. If passed, the game will be rigged. Bill C-22 would guarantee nuclear companies always hit the jackpot no matter the risks.