Manitoba government says feds now understand need for Interlake flood channels

The Manitoba government is suddenly complimenting a federal government it has blasted for delaying the construction of two flood channels.

Infrastructure minister Ron Schuler said the federal government understands the need for outlet channels to prevent Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin from overflowing its banks and flooding homes and cottages yet again. 

"I think the latest meeting between our premier, the prime minister certainly reset the relationship with this project," Schuler told reporters on Monday, regarding a meeting last month during the Liberal cabinet's retreat in Winnipeg.

"We believe that we've got a new relationship when it comes to this."

It is a change in tone from the province, which once slammed the federal government for imposing additional demands, including discussions with First Nation communities far downstream, as excessive and unnecessary.

The province has said there is no time to waste in building the flood channels, described as "critically important" to prevent flooding in the Interlake region.

'Gold standard' in consultations

Homes and cottages on Lake St. Martin and Lake Manitoba were flooded in 2011 and 2014. The worst of those events was in 2011, when Lake Manitoba reached a record-high level, devastating communities and homes and prompting long-term evacuations. Some people still haven't returned home.

While campaigning for the need for flood channels, Pallister said last year his government has set the "gold standard" for consultations with Indigenous communities.

Some First Nation chiefs disagreed, and Ottawa has withheld its half of the $540-million price tag until the province meets the new requirements.

On Monday, though, provincial ministers weren't as boastful as Pallister regarding the level of consultation. Schuler and Indigenous Relations Minister Eileen Clarke says the province has done some consultations already, but they're far from finished.

The province would launch a more formal consultation process after its environmental impact license is approved by the federal government, Schuler said.

"We want to reaffirm that the consultation process is not yet complete," he said. "The consultation process for this project has four phases — we are currently only in phase two."

While the process is still early, the minister said that officials have struck 139 meetings with Indigenous communities and groups, along with more than a thousand records of communication, ranging from phone calls to correspondence and emails.

Schuler said the next phase will build upon the existing dialogue with all 39 affected Indigenous communities.

One outspoken critic of the province's strategy wasn't satisfied with Monday's update.

Lake Manitoba First Nation Chief Cornell McLean, chairman of the Interlake Regional Tribal Council, maintained he has never had any meeting or discussion with the provincial government regarding his objections. He has seen emails, but none were directed to him specifically.

McLean preaches collaboration

The tribal council invited Clarke to a recent meeting with them, but she sent her regrets due to an illness.

"We want to work with the government. We're not trying to work against them by any means, but when the premier says it's good for Manitobans, he should just remember that all the people in the First Nations communities are Manitobans as well."

He worries the flood channels will spread contaminated water, and shouldn't be prioritized when some community members are still living in hotels years after they were evacuated by flooding in 2011.