Premier Tony Wakeham says concerns that the federal support won’t be there should the new Churchill Falls deal fall through are “legitimate.”

Over the last two days in the House of Assembly, many experts have underscored the importance of the federal government’s support in the new deal, with $10-billion on the table between this province and Quebec.

Some have questioned whether Ottawa’s support will still be there if the current deal does not make it to the finish line.

He says the federal government is in a “build now” mode, and Ottawa has identified a sense of urgency when it comes to that.

When asked whether someone at the federal level specifically said the support would not be there if the deal is not finalized, Wakeham references a letter the Prime Minister wrote outlining his commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador.

He says if people read that letter they will get an indication of how urgent the situation is. He says no one is going to “threaten” the province, saying the feds were willing to invest in the province to make sure the deal happened.