Former Liberal Premier Roger Grimes had a deal in the works with Quebec on Gull Island over 20 years ago, but it never got done.
Former PC Premier Danny Williams won the subsequent election in 2003, met with then-Quebec Premier Jean Charest, but was turned down when he tried to connect Gull Island to redress on the Upper Churchill.
Things went downhill from there, says Grimes, eventually leading to the construction of Muskrat Falls, a project which would double in cost, and run years behind schedule.
“Jean Charest told him that he was kinda crazy. So Danny went on a six- or seven-year binge saying ‘ya gotta hate Quebec, they’re the enemy, they’re obstructionist’ — none of which was true, by the way,” says Grimes.
“But (Danny) had the podium, he had the microphone. That was the line he took, and that’s what he preached for the rest of his time in office.”
Premier Andrew Furey and former Premier Danny Williams at Confederation Building recently. (VOCM News)
Grimes says if Williams had simply focused on Gull Island instead of Muskrat Falls, the province would be a lot further ahead today.
“Danny, in his typical style because he didn’t get what he wanted, took a bit of a hissyfit, got a bit savage, decided to become the fighting Newfoundlander, decided he wanted to be popular, and one of the ways to do that was to say Quebec was the enemy. I’m glad that Premier Furey didn’t fall into any of those traps.”
Williams reacted to Grimes’ comments in a brief statement to VOCM News.
“I have always said that poor Roger is more to be pittied than blamed.”
