The beautiful and the dammed – Winnipeg Free Press

Nov. 1, 2024

The boat saws left, kicking out a tail of spray that sends a flock of 70-odd geese fluttering into the northern Manitoba sky.

Ryan West watches from behind the wheel as they soar over the treetops and the maze of transmission towers that stand like steel scarecrows in the boreal woods.

For a few moments, the flock keeps pace with the little aluminum fishing vessel, their reflections dancing on the glassy surface of the Nelson River.

West is leading a group of visitors on a tour of the river, showing off its mesmerizing beauty and lamenting the damage it has sustained over decades of industrial development.