Quebec media are heralding today’s announcement regarding Upper Churchill hydro power as a “joyful” one.
Newfoundland and Labrador has been trying for decades to right the wrongs of the 1969 contract which has short-changed the province out of billions of dollars in revenue, while Quebec reaps the lion’s share of the benefits.
This afternoon’s announcement, which the provincial government is billing as an “historic partnership,” is scheduled for 2 p.m. at The Rooms in St. John’s. It will also be broadcast live over all stations of the VOCM Big Land radio network.
The Ottawa bureau chief with La Presse, Joel Denis Bellevance, expects today’s news will benefit both provinces.
La Presse, which first reported news of an imminent announcement earlier this week, notes Quebec needs the power for future domestic projects and export markets.
Bellevance noted the financial details have yet to be revealed.
“But for sure, it’s going to be a major improvement over what Newfoundland and Labrador had in the deal with Quebec over the past years,” he said.
“There’s a reason that 15 per cent of energy could be in jeopardy, and that could mean that Quebec would not have enough power for the businesses that it wants to attract in Quebec, or to provide the electricity that we need for regular folks in Quebec.”
Premier Andrew Furey and Quebec Premier Francois Legault shown at the Colonial Building in St. John’s this week. (X)
Today’s announcement comes amid a new poll from Angus Reid showing that Quebec Premier Francois Legault is on a “troubling trend” in terms of popularity in his home province.
Legault has dropped to second-to-last among all premiers with a 36 per cent approval rating. That represents a 3 per cent drop from the previous polling period.
NL Premier Andrew Furey, meanwhile, is dead-centre at 46 per cent support, tied with British Columbia’s David Eby, and unchanged from the previous polling period.
