McFadyen touts flood fight plan

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2011 (5453 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Progressive Conservative government would restore public confidence in the province’s ability to forecast and fight spring floods, Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen said today in Brandon.

McFadyen said if elected the first order of business would be ordering reviews of provincial actions and resources in the 2011 flood and whether Manitobans are being compensated fairly for damages caused by high water.

He also said he would create a Water Management Committee of Cabinet, chaired by the premier, to ensure proper long-term planning and co-ordinated water management decision-making within government.

Other highlights of the PCs flood-fight plan are:

– Upgrade Manitoba’s flood forecasting resources and capabilities based on the outcome of the review of the handling of the 2011 flood;

– Build the leaf gates on the Shellmouth dam to increase its capacity;

– Complete emergency channels to lower Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin.

– Expand the Brandon diking system and restore the Assiniboine River dikes east of Portage la Prairie.

– Strike a Lake Winnipeg watershed roundtable to discuss water management with neighboring states and provinces.

– Implement an ecological goods and services program to support sound, watershed-focused conservation practices.

“After watching Greg Selinger mismanage the 2011 flood, it’s clear Manitobans have lost confidence in the provincial government when it comes to flood fighting,” McFadyen said in a release. “Selinger and the NDP used the flood for all sorts of pre-election photo ops, but failed to deliver on their promises.”