A growing contingent of frustrated farmers may force Manitoba’s politicians to work into the summer.
As of June 2 more than 400 presenters had signed up to speak before a legislative committee on Bill 17, the moratorium on hog barn expansion in three regions of Manitoba.
The house leader for the NDP government, justice minister Dave Chomiak, said after question period June 2 that they would be prepared to hear comments from all the presenters, regardless of how long it takes.
“If we have to be here a long, long time, we’ll be here a long, long time,” said Chomiak. In a best-case scenario, Chomiak said the committee hearings would begin June 5 or 6.
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Those dates are tentative, but unless provincial politicians want to sit in a committee room in the middle of July, they will need to set a date soon.
To hear comments from every presenter, entitled to 15 minutes before the committee, the legislature would have to remain open well past the scheduled June 12 adjournment date.
“This is going to take a month if you’re going to do it properly,” said Ralph Eichler, MLA from Lakeside and agriculture critic for the Progressive Conservative party.
Eichler, nonetheless, isn’t convinced the government will do it properly.
“I think what they’ll do is call the committee and have three days of presentation. And then not allow any more presenters to register…. So they’re going to cut off debate,” said Eichler, who expects the government to limit the hearings to a couple of weeks.
“You’re not going to hear 400 presenters in two weeks,” he said, noting that hearings early in the morning or near midnight aren’t suitable for farmers who have to drive in to Winnipeg from rural Manitoba.
Farmers intending to present to the committee, are expected to tell the government that Bill 17 unfairly blames hog barns and pig manure for the higher levels of nutrients flowing into Lake Winnipeg.
During a media scrum after question period, Manitoba premier Gary Doer defended the controversial bill.
“I think this is a good piece of legislation for protecting water, and I’ll say it from the highest soap box,” he said.
