In 1998, Manitoba Hydro began formally consulting and negotiating with Aboriginal communities in Northern Manitoba that would be impacted by the Keeyask Dam project.

In 2008, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation(CTF) received allegations that project dollars were being misused. The CTF then filed information requests to gain insight into how public dollars were spent.

In January 2009, the CTF released information responses which showed over $39 million had been spent by Manitoba Hydro during negotiations with the Cree Nation Partners (the communities of Tataskweyak and War Lake), two of the four Aboriginal partners involved with the Keeyask Dam project. Of the $39 million, approximately $35 million were attributed to the Keeyask Dam project alone.

While the CTF attempted to gain details from Hydro as to what the money was actually spent on, the request was stonewalled and we were told such information would not be released.

Fast forward to October, 2009 and the CTF obtained even more information from Manitoba Hydro on the project's costs going back to 1998. Previous requests had only gone back to 2003/04.

The new data shows costs for the Keeyask dam are in excess of $65 million. Remember, that's $65 million+ spent on discussions with only two of the four bands involved in the project.

Click here to see the information responses from MB Hydro, including Hydro's refusal to release audit details into the dam's paper work costs to date.

Even more astonishing, as Manitoba Hydro notes on its web site, a development agreement has been signed for the project, but "the signing does not guarantee Keeyask will be built. No decision has been made to go forward with development of this project, and no application has yet been made for regulatory review or approval."

Translation - over $65 has been spent and they still don't have a deal. While Hydro is probably just covering its butt, ratepayers still deserve answers as to how the money was spent.

Given Manitoba Hydro's CEO Bob Brennan has dismissed suggestions that his crown corporation has become secretive, hopefully he will not only release the whistle-blower's report, but also shed some much needed light on the Keeyask dam's expenses.

What better time to show Manitoba Hydro is willing to be accountable to its shareholders - Manitobans - than tomorrow night's Committee Meeting at the Legislative Building with Hydro "on the stand" so to speak.

Some questions MLAs should ask Hydro officials pertaining to dam negotiation and process costs include the following:

1) How could Manitoba Hydro possibly spend over $65 million on negotiation costs for a project it can't guarantee will even move ahead?

2) How much has been spent on process and negotiation costs in total - for Keeyask? Wuskwatim? Conawapa?

3) Will Manitoba Hydro be accountable to Manitobans and fully disclose how dollars have been spent on process and negotiation costs for Keeyask, Wuskwatim and Conawapa?

4) Will Manitoba Hydro release all audit reports and documents concerning dam negotiation and process costs?