About 900 ex-Canadian soldiers will be compensated for taking part in testing the capability of atomic bombs or in cleanup at the Chalk River nuclear plant. MacKay admitted their payment is long overdue.
For deceased soldiers, their families and estates will receive the payment.
A number of the retired soldiers, now in their 70s and 80s, contracted ailments because of their participation in the testing. Ken Umpherville of Calgary was found in 1990 to have lung cancer, which has since then spread to both lungs.
Umpherville told the Canadian Press, "I think it's a fair settlement... It recognized the service that the Canadian Atomic Veterans put toward the country. I would like to see them expedite claims for legitimate people who do have problems because of being exposed to radiation."
