Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 5, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press tuesday december 5, 1978 City sex chairman testifies Hydro analysis was lacking by Cecil Rosner Manitoba Hydro could have avoided Many prob lems which have plagued the Utility in the last decade if it had Analysed the environmental Impact of the Churchill River diversion at an Early stage former Hydro chairman David Cass Beggs said monday. Testifying before the Tritschler inquiry into Hydro development Cass Beggs said it was a pity Hydro had t investigated As Early As 1965 the environmental problems which a proposed High level diversion of the Churchill River would have created. Instead there was a Large Public reaction in opposition to the plan forcing Hydro to make Quick Deci Sions on a new direction for Northern development. Cass Beggs was hired As a consultant for Hydro shortly after the new democratic party came to Power in 1969. He recommended Hydro abandon its proposed High level diver Sion which would have raised the level of Southern Indian Lake and possibly flooded a Community As Well As caused other environmental damage. High level diversion from a narrow technological Point of View was a Beautiful solution to the he said. But with the change in Public con Cern Over the environment the plan became unrealistic. There was very obvious Public reaction against it. I had to make an assessment As to the feasibility of Over ruling that reaction. I was aware the former govern ment a conservative administration tried to do that and Cass Beggs said he prob ably would never have been appointed to the Post of the Manitoba govern ment has awarded a million contract for construction of the second phase of a new Environ mental Laboratory in Winnipeg to Poole construction Ltd., government services minister Sidney Spivak said monday. The Poole bid was the lowest of six tenders received Spivak said adding that construction is to Start before the end of the year. The building on a site bounded by Logan and Henry avenues and Rietta and Owena streets is expected to be ready for occupancy by three Environ mental laboratories and two mines department laboratories in the summer of 1980. Construction of the Laboratory building was fro zen by the progressive conservative government when it took office from the nip just Over one year ago. However Spivak said the government decided to proceed because of the Spe Cial needs of the Environ mental Laboratory and the Money already spent to Ward construction. The first phase of the project involving the substructure and site ser vices was handled by Kraft construction Ltd. Of Winni Peg youth pleads guilty in killing a 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty monday to second degree murder in the death last july of 73-year-old Joseph George Redmond. Douglas Robert Wynne who was 16 when the death occurred pleaded guilty in Manitoba court of Queen s Bench. Redmond s body was found in a trunk outside his Nassau Street Home. A Date has not yet been set for Wynne s sentencing. David Cass Beggs problems avoidable Hydro chairman in Jan uary 1970, if he had been an advocate of the High level diversion scheme. The decision to abandon High level diversion was made for Small p Politi Cal and for True Environ mental reasons he said. The former chairman said it was highly Proba ble that a sept. 15, 1969, letter to Hydro from then premiered Schreyer advising the Utility to aban Don plans for the High level diversion was sent at his suggestion. When he was Board chairman Cass Beggs said he considered himself the voice of government on Hydro matters. He was consulted and gave Opin ions on Many matters of government policy relating not Only to technical Hydro matters but on All subjects of relevance to the Utility. He said he considered the Post of chairman similar to Deputy minister of Hydro division of the govern in his 19c9 report Cass Beggs said a reasonable alternative for Northern development might be Low level diversion combined with a system of regulation of Lake Winnipeg. The plans like Hydro s original proposal were designed to increase water flows on the Nelson River and provide the capacity for a number of Hydro electric generating stations there. Cass Beggs said he made his initial recommendations very quickly because it was a matter of Desper ate urgency to solve the problem which led to the defeat of the previous gov shortly after he was made chairman Cass Beggs appointed a task Force to review and make recommendations on future Northern development. Al though Len Bateman was appointed to head the task Force Cass Beggs said he initially could t feel at Home with the appointment because Bateman had been strongly identified with High level diversion Over the last few nevertheless he Saij he had Confidence in the Abili ties and objectivity of Bate Man and the task Force members. Although they should have been aware of what government policy was at the time he would t have expected political factors to enter into their findings unless they were Given specific orders. Although Hydro proceeded with Low level diversion and the Lake Winnipeg regulation schemes extensive flooding to native Indian communities still took place. And the original regulation scheme estimated at million ended up costing million million including Genera Cass Beggs was also questioned As to Why Hydro decided not to raise Utility nov. 29 and dec. 6 tickets Good for total of 100 of each Winnipeg free press for Friday 0ec. 1, 1978 mrs. M. Romano Conor Manitoba mrs. L Sarna 37 Arena St., Ste. Anne Man. Mrs. Nancy Beal 4 Ross Street flin flon Man. Mrs. E. Dickenson Poplar Point Man. Mrs. M. Chopp Cook s Creek Man. Mrs. G. Still Box 34, Selkirk Man. Mrs. W. Hill Box 34, Carman Manitoba mrs. M. Mcmaster 1 Dufferin ave., e., Portage la Prairie Man. Mrs. Keith Howard 452-38th Street Brandon Man. Mrs. Diane Sandstrom 162-8th ave., . Minnedosa Man. The above people received s10.00 Cash from the free press representative who called and found the Coupon keeper in use. You could be next play the Coupon keeper contest and win Cash prizes. Rates in 1970, despite a specific recommendation from the Public utilities Board to do so. He replied that the Board Felt there was no urgent need for an increase at that time adding that Hydro Felt the utilities Board was not sufficiently Well versed in the policies and obligations of Hydro to make so definite a recon consultants hired by the utilities Board failed to make the distinction be tween a Public and a privately owned Utility. He said new York Banks and other Money lending institutions often like to make rules for utilities and direct them As to How to raise Revenue so that debt can be repaid. The Hydro Board decided instead not to raise rates until its Reserve fund had dropped to at least half of its level. The Tritschler inquiry has been asked to make recommendations on the relationship Between Hydro and the Public utilities Board. Cass Beggs who has also worked for the Saskatchewan and British Columbia Hydro corporations continues his testimony today. Now there s extra Comfort for the burning itching misery of haemorrhoids. 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