The Churchill Falls saga continues, with serious questions emerging about why Premier Tony Wakeham concealed his lead negotiator’s planned departure from the House of Assembly throughout the September debate on Churchill Falls.
Yesterday, the Premier revealed that Barry Perry, his lead negotiator on Churchill Falls, had advised him before the September House of Assembly debate that he would be leaving before the final agreements were negotiated. Despite this, the Premier repeatedly praised Mr. Perry’s qualifications during the debate and confirmed that the same negotiating team would continue working on the final agreements.
“The Premier knew before the September debate that his lead negotiator would not be leading the work on the final agreements, yet he chose not to tell the public, the media or Members of the House of Assembly,” says Opposition Leader, John Hogan, KC. “Why did he keep this information secret while asking the House to endorse his approach to this deal?”
During the debate, the Premier stated, “There is nobody in Newfoundland and Labrador more qualified than Barry Perry to lead this work.” Hogan questions why the Premier made that statement when he already knew Mr. Perry would not be leading the negotiations on the final agreements.
“These are not minor details. We were debating a framework for agreements that will shape our province for generations, yet the Premier withheld information about who would actually negotiate those agreements.”
Hogan also challenges the Premier’s claim that the House has already voted on the 17 final agreements, despite those agreements not yet having been negotiated.
“The vote in September related only to the PC’s non-binding framework agreement. It did not approve 17 final agreements that did not exist at the time and have still not been negotiated. The Premier needs to explain how he can claim the House has already approved something it has never seen.”
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were promised a referendum, and the Premier has abandoned that promise. Now he says MHAs may not see the final agreements until after they are signed, and he will not even confirm whether the House will vote on them.
“This is a 50-year commitment with enormous consequences for our province. The public deserves transparency, and MHAs must have a meaningful opportunity to scrutinize and debate the actual agreements before they are signed. The Premier cannot continue to make these decisions behind closed doors and expect the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to simply accept them.”
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