Criticism of Hydro disappoints

DEAR EDITOR,

In his Feb. 14 opinion piece, Hydro deal raises questions, Will Braun puts a very negative spin on Manitoba Hydro's recent agreement with Misipawistik Cree Nation at Grand Rapids. We view this and other pending settlements in a very positive light, and it is disappointing to see them disparaged in this way.

We would have thought the Interfaith Task Group on Northern Hydro Development, who have advocated on behalf of impacted First Nations in the past, would applaud further benefits to First Nations and other impacted communities.

Manitoba Hydro has a 50-year licence from the Manitoba government to operate the Grand Rapids generating station within the parameters set out in that licence. It will be seeking to renew the licence for another 50 years before it expires in 2015.

Braun asks "Why the secrecy?"

Manitoba Hydro did not publicize the agreement with Misipawistik because it is also negotiating with several other First Nations in the vicinity. When these deals are completed, we will be making the agreements available (subject to concurrence of the First Nations) and posting details on our website.

There is no great secrecy involved. The agreements are being discussed and debated within the communities and the people affected have the opportunity to be fully informed.

The genesis for these agreements goes back a number of years, in some cases perhaps decades, because of perceived inequities between settlements arising out of the Grand Rapids project compared to other northern communities affected by subsequent hydro projects but compensated for under the umbrella of the Northern Flood Agreement (NFA).

It was felt the NFA and supplemental agreements dealt more generously with impacts and provided long-term benefits not directly tied to project impacts. A number of the NFA communities are also located in areas where new hydro developments are occurring and are eligible to partner in the new projects, cementing a long-term relationship with further ongoing benefits to the First Nations.

While specific settlements were reached over the years with Grand Rapids-area First Nations and communities, the local communities sometimes felt they should be able to obtain ongoing benefits from the presence of the hydroelectric generating station at Grand Rapids. Each of the new agreements is tied to the continued operation of the generating station in the same way it operated for the first 50 years. Any change to the operation would cause new effects and neither Hydro nor any of the communities wanted to be tied to an agreement that was based on the continued operation if the operation of the station was changed through the licence-renewal process. Hence it was in the interest of all parties for the First Nations to support Hydro's licence renewal in 2015.

Braun states that "decades after the dams were built, affected First Nations still suffer poverty." All northern First Nations are, regrettably, still affected by poverty, including those affected by Hydro development. Compensation and mitigation of development impacts were never expected to erase poverty and other complex social and cultural issues. Impacted First Nations, however, do have compensation funds they can use to assist their communities in moving forward.

Braun argues that impacts are still occurring in the northern landscape due to hydroelectric development. We would acknowledge this is true in some areas, although it is difficult if not impossible to separate project impacts from naturally occurring phenomena such as erosion. Manitoba Hydro has worked closely with local communities to mitigate specific impacts.

Manitoba Hydro is committed to dealing with past impacts of its projects with First Nations and other northern communities as well as forging new relationships with First Nations that will see benefits flow to them from developments in their area. It is disappointing to have these settlements criticized by the Interfaith Task Force.

Glenn Schneider

Manitoba Hydro

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 22, 2012 A11