Open letter to the premier
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/07/2011 (5574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Premier Greg Selinger,
Why is the province playing politics versus science and Russian roulette with Lake Winnipeg?
After a long, ongoing standing debate with the City of Winnipeg, and holding up progress, the provincial government now reneges on their full support of the 2003 study provided by the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) and the 2009 study that revisited the issue.
Both studies recommended that the City of Winnipeg reduce the amount of nitrogen, ammonia and phosphorus it discharges into the river waters from its north-end sewage treatment plant.
The province has now succumbed to what the City of Winnipeg has proposed, in regard to nitrogen removal, which has been the “controversial stumbling block” in this matter.
We are told they will deal with it at some point in the future. When? As premier, you have stated the nitrogen levels will be monitored on a yearly basis.
That is not reassuring, in fact it is very disappointing. To achieve positive results, effective environmental stewardship require both, a consistent and concerted approach.
Lake Winnipeg is on the brink of disaster. Help is needed now. “Save the Lake” (as per Bill 46) will not be successful by the “monitoring” of nitrogen.
What is the value of Lake Winnipeg? Is it not worth the expense of “higher taxes” for its recovery?” Why is the application of the ‘precautionary principle’ being put aside in this situation?
The province has abandoned eight years of unquestionable, dedicated support to the recommendations the CEC provided to the government.
Yet, even as recently as Oct. 8, 2009, despite much criticism during Resolutions 25 (The Protection of Lake Winnipeg), both the water stewardship and conservation ministers unwaveringly supported the CEC and defended their recommendations to the fullest.
One might ask what motivated the change in the province’s position and why just now?
Could it be an ploy for the upcoming election?
More recently, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick stated in an article, “Wastewater Rules Set to Change to Save Ailing Lake Winnipeg,” (Brandon Sun, July 9) that “We have to be much more aggressive. We know that we can’t afford to cut corners. We know we have to go the full distance to save Lake Winnipeg.”
In light of the province’s decision to now abandon the CEC’s recommendation of nitrogen removal, I find such comments fickle and inappropriate, and to a point of being hypocritical.
Lake Winnipeg and all our water sources deserve more than the rhetoric and propaganda entertained by the government.
JOHN FEFCHAK
Virden