Hon. Janis G. Johnson statement in the Senate

By Other News Sources on March 27, 2002 • ( Leave a comment )

Parliamentary Hansard

March 27, 2002

Hon. Janis G. Johnson: Honourable senators, I rise today to address a matter that should concern all Canadians. I am referring to the controversial plan of Canadian hydro developer Fortis Incorporated to build a dam on the Macal River in Belize. This proposal has attracted vociferous opposition from key environmental groups and noted scientists, and much attention in the media.

Fortis holds a monopoly on the provision of electricity in Belize. It also owns majority shares in an ineffective hydro dam already installed on the Macal River, to which the planned dam would provide water during the dry season.

In accordance with Belizean law, Fortis had an environmental impact assessment done for the proposed project. They gave the job to AMEC, an engineering firm with a long history of hydro development. AMEC in turn succeeded in securing $250,000 from CIDA for this assessment under CIDA’s Industrial Cooperation Program, which supports the creation of “justification reports” for development projects.

Opposition to this project first stemmed from the fact that the area Fortis proposed to flood is a crucial habitat and breeding ground for several threatened and endangered species. The worst fears of these groups were confirmed by AMEC’s own assessment of the dam’s impact on wildlife, which AMEC subcontracted to the Museum of Natural History in London. Their report highlighted the likely devastating effects of the dam on the area’s rare wildlife and ecosystem.

In the months since its publication, more problems with the report have come to light. The most shocking of these are its highly questionable geological assessments. The report wrongly identifies the site’s bedrock as granite, when it is known to be made of poor load-bearing sandstone and shale. It also fails to report 45-metre-deep faults in the bed of the proposed reservoir.

Fortis is pushing ahead, however, with the construction of a service road network in the area, despite the fact that they have not yet produced an environmental impact mitigation plan, a requirement of the Belizean government before proceeding.

For us, honourable senators, the question is about our government’s involvement in this exercise, as $250,000 of taxpayers’ money has gone toward supporting a report that seeks to justify the project of a Canadian company at all costs.

Fortis, AMEC and CIDA should account for these errors and act responsibly. A Canadian company supported by the Canadian government is flouting standards that are rigorously applied in our own country. They have the same moral and legal obligation to protect the interests of the citizens of Belize, who will pay dearly if the dam fails.