Provincial Government Claims PC Unity on Churchill Falls Agreement
On 2 November, the provincial government said the Progressive Conservative caucus was united behind the new Churchill Falls power agreement with Quebec in St. John’s. Earlier, Premier Tony Wakeham rejected a request from former Premier Brian Peckford and former opposition leader Ches Crosbie to pause the deal for an independent review.
He also affirmed that the province would not reopen negotiations on the non-binding agreement, despite Indigenous concerns and questions about an upcoming legislative debate. Government House Leader Lloyd Parrott had earlier presented the federal budget cover featuring Churchill Falls, prompting opposition leaders to question the handling of the interprovincial arrangement. Wakeham had initially announced a special legislative debate on the agreements but said no final vote was planned, drawing criticism from opposition members over the deal’s terms.