Premier Wakeham promised a referendum, and he broke that promise. He promised a debate, and now he’s failing to deliver on that, too.
From the beginning, the Official Opposition has asked Premier Wakeham and his Government House Leader, Lloyd Parrott, for the same level of flexibility, openness and accountability that took place during the special sitting on the 2024 MOU.
Specifically, the Official Opposition requested the same 36 hours of committee-style debate, allowing Members to question experts, negotiators, and the government during the entire 36 hours.
Instead, the Premier and his Ministers will now answer for their deal for just 120 minutes, and none of that time will be in an established format that allows for proper analysis and debate. Instead, the traditional Question Period format is being used, which risks turning this historic debate into political theatre rather than providing the substantive answers Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve.
Premier Wakeham and his Cabinet were elected to make this decision and should be prepared to defend it. If the Premier is asking Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to support a 50-year agreement, he should have no problem answering detailed questions in the House of Assembly.
Committee-style debate provides for thoughtful discussion and fulsome answers. It gives Members the opportunity to elaborate on their questions and explain the clarity they are seeking, while providing enough time for those being questioned to offer clear and comprehensive answers.
When Members of the House of Assembly debate even minor amendments to legislation, they are provided unlimited time in Committee to debate and scrutinize that legislation. Ironically, the Conservatives refuse to provide the same opportunity for a deal they are trying to sell as the biggest in history. What will take place next week is no more than a discussion.
Instead, the Conservatives are relying on a limited Question Period format, where questions and answers are restricted to 45 seconds, making meaningful examination of a complex hydroelectricity deal impossible.
Further, the Conservatives are refusing to hold Question Period during the usual time in the afternoon, instead insisting it will be late in the evening. This begs the question if this is yet another tactic designed to hide the Premier and Minister from the media and the public.
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