-Caveat Lector- http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/brodbeck.html October 10, 1999 Lewinsky affair threatens Manitoba waters There's a foul residue seeping from the U.S. presidential sex scandal and it's drifting north into Manitoba's freshwater lakes. By TOM BRODBECK -- Winnipeg Sun Who could have predicted Monica Lewinsky would have any real impact on Manitoba other than to provide us with a quick dose of cheap entertainment. Until now, Manitobans could barely differentiate between U.S. President Bill Clinton's Oval Office escapades and a bad afternoon soap opera. Beyond whetting the appetites of gossip-starved coffee-shop goers, the Lewinsky-Clinton affair was little more than a titillating tale that fast became yesterday's news. But alas, Bill's libido may prove to have some relevance in the Keystone Province, after all. North Dakota has for years been trying to muster the political muscle and funds to divert water from Devil's Lake into the Red River watershed, which drains into Lake Winnipeg. And for years, an international treaty and fierce resistance from the normally placid band of Canadian politicians to the north have blocked the move. However, it appears the project has been fast-tracked suddenly and could be approved within weeks. The danger of diverting Devil's Lake water into the Red River is that foreign organisms could wreak havoc on fish and plant life in Manitoba waters. Some scientists fear it could kill off Manitoba's freshwater fishing industry altogether. The diversion plan is designed to relieve a bulging Devil's Lake, which has no natural outlet and continues to flood surrounding areas. Officially, the Americans and Clinton say they will abide by the Boundary Waters Treaty which is supposed to protect Canada from threats to its water quality. But unofficially, the Americans appear to be hurtling headlong into a mega-project that could spell disaster for Manitoba. The reason? It looks as if certain North Dakota congressman are cashing in their chips from promiscuous Bill after supporting him through his recent impeachment trial. The congressional delegation pursuing the Devil's Lake project is made up of Senator Kent Conrad, Senators Byron Dorgan and congressman Earl Pomeroy -- all democrats who backed Clinton during his impeachment. It's payback time for Bill, who appears beholden to his Democrat friends who helped him out of a tight spot when he needed it most. Monica Lewinsky likely wasn't thinking about unfamiliar organisms creeping into Manitoba waters when she flashed Bill behind the punch bowl during a White House reception. She probably wasn't thinking about our hard-luck fishers trying to scrape together a living when she made evening visits to the Oval Office, either. But she may have unwittingly provided the political impetus to push through a project that could have long-lasting effects in Manitoba. Our waters would be under far less threat had Bill learned to keep his zipper shut -- or at lest had the guts to tell the truth under oath. Manitoba Premier Gary Doer is now forced to make an emergency visit to Washington to try to talk Bill out of backing the Devil's Lake project. While you're there, Gary, if you see any over-zealous interns hanging around places they're not supposed to be, tell them to scram. We can't afford to have Bill any more indebted to North Dakotan politicians than he already is. Tom Brodbeck is the Winnipeg Sun's legislature reporter. Letters to the editor should be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Copyright � 1999, Canoe Limited Partnership. 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