Manitoba Election: Tories would ban sale of Hydro!

So here is the same guy who boasted about being involved in the privatisation of MTS (Manitoba Telephone System) saying he would ban the privatisation of Manitoba Hydro. Well if that is what it takes to get elected I guess it is a small price to pay. He could always sell off Manitoba Autopac a government auto insurance monopoly. Last time around the Conservatives thought it was a bit too risky I guess.


Tories would ban sale of Hydro


Updated at 6:26 PM

By Mary Agnes Welch



MARC GALLANT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Tory leader Hugh McFadyen,and Riel candidate Trudy Turner salute clean water outside Manitoba Hydro's head office on Taylor Avenue.


A Progressive Conservative government won’t sell off Manitoba Hydro and would introduce legislation to prove it, Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen vowed Wednesday.
Whatever, responded NDP Leader Gary Doer.

In what could be the defining squabble of the election, the two rivals squared off Wednesday over whether voters ought to trust the Tories with Hydro.

McFadyen, standing in front of the Hydro headquarters on Taylor Avenue, said he would introduce legislation requiring unanimous support from all 57 MLAs to alter ownership of Manitoba Hydro. That would give veto power to every MLA. Taking it one step further, McFadyen said that rule could only be changed with the consent of all MLAs.

"We want to be very clear about our commitment to public ownership," said McFadyen. "We know the NDP are going around the province trying to scare Manitobans, and before those phoney ads start running, we wanted to be very clear."

Legislation already requires a referendum to sell off Hydro, making McFadyen’s move largely symbolic, especially since any government in power can alter legislation. But the PC leader’s move could neuter the NDP’s criticism, one that Doer repeats relentlessly.

Wednesday, Doer said McFadyen’s past actions speak louder than his current words.

He said McFadyen was a chief adviser to the former Tory government during the sale of MTS — something McFadyen boasted about in his biography on the website during his Tory leadership campaign last year. And Doer said McFadyen also was an adviser to the Ontario Tory government when that province deregulated hydroelectricity.

"We know the public doesn’t trust the Tories with Hydro,’’ said Doer.

"They're smart. I think today he went out there to deny it, but we don't trust him either."

--With files from Mia Rabson

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca