Liberal Policy - and the proposed Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant

Many policy issues were discussed, debated and voted upon at our Manitoba Liberal Party Annual General Meeting. Without any doubt, the most contentious issue was the discussion and vote surrounding the Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant proposed for the St. Boniface Industrial Park.

At the workshop session on Saturday, after much discussion, the resolution from representatives from the Transcona Liberal Association was voted upon and passed with the narrowest of margins. It then went to the plenary session, and this time the support for the resolution had built considerably. The resolution called for the location of the Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant at an alternate site than the St. Boniface Industrial Park.

In essence, delegates from Winnipeg argued successfully that Winnipeg should be treated no differently than Brandon and Neepewa. In both Brandon and Neepewa the hog processing plant is located nearby, but away from the major urban centre. Delegates felt that having high density urban residences as well as high tech and other businesses surrounding the plant was not a good solution.