Reaction continues to come in from the Village of La Broquerie following an announcement by Manitoba Hydro last week that it plans to run a new transmission line along the east side of the community. Resident Alain Fournier is part of a group that has organized a petition against Hydro's decision, noting a number of concerns.

"It's so close to town and, myself, I'll be three-quarters of a mile away but my dad's farm is right beside the line. He owns a century farm and there was talk that they were trying to avoid century farms but they're going right through his land. I also think it's going to slow down the growth of La Broquerie; it's going right by the golf course."

Fournier says hydro claims there will be no problem with the electro magnetic field from the transmission line but adds research on the internet shows otherwise.

"Manitoba Hydro is saying that the EMFs are within a safe distance from people but we did some research on the computer and they're saying within a mile there are EMFs present and it will be within three-quarters of a mile from a school."

He adds many homes are also within that one mile range. Fournier says Manitoba Hydro has, so far, not paid attention to the local concerns.

"We feel that we're just being bullied. They talk about bullying in school, but now we're just being bullied. And, it seems that they're just walking all over you when they could go straight east, maybe about six or seven miles east of La Broqueirie, right in the forestry, where it would be in the RM of Reynolds. They're inviting Hydro to come over there. They say there's nothing there, you're not affecting anything but nope, they (Hydro) just want to run through agricultural land instead. It's very frustrating."

Fournier encourages people to sign a petition against Hydro's plans. You can do so at the Co-op Ag Centre in La Broquerie as well as at Le Bon Ami or at MLA Dennis Smook's office.

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Hydro Decides On Route Near Richer And La Broquerie