$160 million and counting.

That of course is the tab picked up by Manitoba Hydro for Aboriginal bands’ legal, consulting and “community costs” for the Wuskwatim, Keeyask and Conawapa dams. Allegations have been made by band members that consultants are taking advantage of the process and that some of the funds have been used to purchase gifts and provide cash payments to those that attend projects meetings. Only a forensic audit will prove what’s really going on.

It’s a fair question to ask - how $160 million could possibly be spent on paper work and chit chatting costs for the dams up north? In fact, it’s a question the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been asking for quite some time. Unfortunately, information requests filed with Manitoba Hydro for detailed figures on how the money has been spent have been refused.

In an April 17, 2009 response to an information request, Hydro asserted that releasing audit details would be “detrimental to the relations” between Manitoba Hydro and the First Nation communities for whom it is paying the bills. What could be so “detrimental” that it can’t be shared with the public?

Another reason put forward by Hydro for refusing the details is that the information may harm third parties – the consultants and lawyers involved in the projects. A strange assertion indeed considering the federal government’s web site and the City of Winnipeg’s web site disclose how much consultants and lawyers are billing for large contracts.

Band members from some of the communities involved in negotiations with Manitoba Hydro have contacted the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for help in exposing what is actually happening. They have alleged that “community meetings” for the dam projects are always full of door prizes such as Xbox 360s, deep freezes, DVD players, camcorders and of course cash for attending. One of the concerned band members said that people were even paid to fill out surveys on the dam project.

A cheque stub was provided to the CTF that showed a band member received sizeable funding from a consulting firm involved in negotiations. We were told that the funds were provided for attending a public meeting. Why would a consulting company pay a band member to attend a public meeting?

Sceptics might suggest that having a third party consulting firm make the payments is a way of hiding the paper trail.

Another question that needs answering is how Hydro could keep picking up the tab for these expenses year-after-year? Not surprisingly our rates are going up again.

Clearly Manitoba Hydro is reluctant to release the information. In fact, they have suggested they can’t. That is why the Manitoba government needs to step in.

Premier Selinger needs to order a forensic audit by an external auditor. Such an investigation should include interviews with concerned band members.

One thing is for certain, band members from communities involved in the negotiations, and all Manitobans for that matter, deserve answers.