‘Megaprojects’ under scrutiny in Canada

Press, 26 November 1981, Page 6

‘Megaprojects’ under scrutiny in Canada

NZPA staff correspondent . Washington The new Government in Canada’s Manitoba province is taking a long look at the “Megaprojects” planned by the outgoing Conservatives. The situation has remarkable parallels with the New Zealand election campaign. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Mr Sterling Lyon, were sitting on a comfortable majority jn the: 57seat Parliament.. Mr Lyon, who-'is . 54. a short, fiery and combative

politician, campaigned on the slogan, “Don’t stop us now,” but in the early stages of the election he toned down his pugnacious image, appearing relaxed and smiling on television commercials. ./ His opponent, the leader of the New. Democratic Party, Mr Howard Pawley, aged 47, the incoming Premier, is a soft-spoken lawyer. His campaign strategy was to attack the Tories, as the Conservatives are known, for failing to '.stimulate growth and create jobs. x

Mr Lyon's avuncular image disappeared as the campaign progressed, and he returned in the last few daysto what was.described as his old “socialist-bashing” style. He also complained that the news media had treated him unfairly .during the campaign. In the.election on Tuesday, the New: Democrats routed the Conservatives, and also defeated three of their own members of Parliament who had’defected .during the session to form a Progressive Party.

The New Democrats won, 34 seats of the 57, one more 1 than Mr Lyon’s party gained in the October, 1977 election, and the small parties were wiped out, leaving a twoparty House for the next four years.

The “megaprojects" . included a $5OO million aluminium smelter development and a $6OO million potashmining scheme. If these two had gone, ahead, the Conservatives planned a $2OOO million hydro-electricity development. , A spokesman for Mr Paw- ■ ley’s office said that the New Democratic Party was not opposed to the big projects as. such, but had reservations about the.,methods by which "they were being; negotiated by the Conservatives. The New Democrats were worried that Mr. Lyon and his; party were offering .'fmore than reasonable terms” to tiro companies involved in ah effort to be reelected, he said.