Manitoba Hydro has a reputation of supplying affordable, clean energy to the citizens of this province.
On the eve of a potentially game-changing election, candidates for high office are likely to climb over each other broadcasting their commitment to keeping this critical crown corporation in public hands.
Manitobans might therefore be shocked at suggestions that a wholly owned subsidiary named Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) is actively involved in preparing public utilities in other jurisdictions, particularly in the Global South, for privatization.
Citizen journalist Scott Price broke the story on CKUW two years ago. He was examining a controversial contract secured by MHI in 2012 to manage the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Until fairly recently, CKUW was the only media in Manitoba to even broach the issue. Two recent articles in the Winnipeg Free Press brought up the subject and quoted Premier Selinger and a Manitoba Hydro spokesperson as dismissing the notion that MHI is involved in the privatization of Nigeria’s Power Transmission system. But is that the case?
In this interview which aired recently on CKUW 95.9 FM‘s morning news program People of Interest, host Michael Welch speaks with Scott Price about his convictions that privatization is indeed what MHI is involved with, not only in Nigeria, but in numerous other jurisdictions across the globe, including Saudi Arabia.
