View From the Legislature

While it is not affecting all parts of Manitoba, the fact is that even though we are already into the middle of July, there are still many parts of our province which are battling flood waters and areas where residents are evacuated and are looking for answers.

The flooding that is happening in the western part of the province, along the Souris and Assiniboine rivers as well as several lakes, most notably Lake Manitoba, is unprecedented both in the long duration of the flood and in the massive area it is impacting. Homes in several communities have already faced the threat of this flood and many cottages and homes along Lake Manitoba have been destroyed partly as a result of water that was diverted from the Assiniboine River to Lake Manitoba.

The level of Lake Manitoba is such a concern that the provincial NDP government has indicated that it is looking to fast-track a proposal to dig an outlet from Lake St. Martin which it hopes would help reduce the level of Lake Manitoba. It is not a small undertaking and it has raised a number of questions from those residents who will be impacted in the area.

There are still also questions about what compensation will be made available to those who have lost their homes, perhaps as a result of flooding that was done deliberately to alleviate the water pressure in other areas. Many of those who are evacuated or who will be forced to rebuild are unsure what assistance they will be eligible for. As well, those along Lake Manitoba wonder what will happen next spring if there is no workable plan to reduce the water level in the lake.

All of these and many other questions need to be answered by those making the decisions in government. But they are not being answered and Premier Greg Selinger, despite acknowledging that this is an unprecedented flood, isn’t willing to take any questions on behalf of the thousands of affected Manitobans.

Last week, Manitoba P.C. Leader, Hugh McFadyen, asked Premier Selinger to, in light of the emergency flooding situation, recall the Manitoba Legislature to ensure there could be public debate on decisions that are being made in relation to the flood. Mr. Selinger quickly denied the request, not wanting to interrupt his summer plans with having to respond to questions being posed on behalf of flood victims.

While no government can be responsible for the weather, they are elected to be responsible for decisions made and to ensure information is provided to citizens in need. The decision by Premier Selinger to dodge both questions and transparency doesn’t portray the mark of true leadership.