What Is The Real Reason?

Last month I distributed a survey regarding the decision of the NDP government to build a new hydro transmission line down the west side of Lake Winnipeg even though a route on the east side of the Lake would be shorter, safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

The response from residents was overwhelming, with all respondents demanding the NDP reverse this decision and build the line on the east side. Many residents asked me what possible explanation the NDP could have for choosing the west side route even though Manitoba Hydro officials themselves have been recommending an eastern route.

That’s a difficult question to answer. In most political disagreements about policy, you can usually find some explanation as to why a decision was made, even if you disagree with the decision. The decision by the NDP to force the transmission line down the west side of the province however seems to defy any logic.

The initial explanation that was given by then Premier Gary Doer was that the residents of the east side of Lake Winnipeg did not want the transmission line build in their area. That was quickly dismissed when the vast majority of communities on the east side said they would welcome the economic boost the construction of the line would bring.

The NDP then said that the reason they refused to follow Manitoba Hydro’s advice and construct the line down the east side of the province was because it would put at risk a possible Unesco World Heritage site application for the east side Boreal Forrest. This excuse was also debunked when the former chair for Unesco indicated that a hydro transmission line would not impact the application at all.

Next on the list of excuses was the NDP’s claim that they were trying to save trees by putting the line on the west side. That was quickly rebuked by reports that more trees would actually be lost on the west side than the east side because it is a much longer route. The NDP then changed this excuse to say that they simply did not want to disturb any of the east side trees. But that excuse also fell by the way side when they later announced they would be cutting a swath through the east side forest for a new road.

So one by one the excuses have fallen and Manitobans are left to wonder why in the world Premier Greg Selinger and the NDP would ignore the recommendations of Manitoba Hydro and build the new hydro transmission line from northern Manitoba on the west side of Lake Winnipeg when the eastern route is safer, shorter, more environmentally friendly and $640 million cheaper. It is simply one of those decisions that defy logic.