Tories would rework Bipole route: McFadyen

The leader of the provincial Progressive Conservatives is promising to rework one of Manitoba Hydro's major projects and fire the Crown corporation's board of directors if elected next October.

Hugh McFadyen made the pledges as the Tories gathered in Brandon for their annual general meeting.

McFadyen told reporters he'dalter the controversial Manitoba Hydro project known as Bipole III, a high-voltage transmission line planned for the west side of the province.

The planned line would begin just northeast of the town of Gillam, at Keewatinoow Converter Station, and run southwest past Thompson before turning directly south at The Pas.It would terminate just east of Winnipeg at the Riel Converter Station in the Rural Municipality of Springfield.

The line would run 1,400 kilometres and will costabout $2 billion to build.

Critics of the plan, however, have said an alternative option running the line down the east of Lake Winnipeg would cost about $1 billion less and be about half as long.

However, the NDP government nixed that plan in 2007, saying it would jeopardize the protection of a proposed UNESCO World Heritage site in the area.

McFadyen said his government would cancel the west side plan and make sweeping changes at Hydro.

"[We would] replace the board of Manitoba Hydro and reverse the decision," he told reporters. "Obviously, the board isn't doing its job currently, so they need to be replaced."

McFadyen also pledged to clean up Manitoba's lakes and improve drainage on rural lands.

The Progressive Conservatives are the official Opposition in the Manitoba legislature, holding 19 of 57 seats. The governing New Democratic Party has 36 seats, the Liberals have one, and one seat is vacant.

The Torymeeting was set to wrap up Sunday. The provincial election will be held Oct. 4, 2011.