Premier Andrew Furey spoke with Quebec Premier Francois Legault today to assure him that the Memorandum of Understanding signed on the Upper Churchill will not be affected by a change in leadership.

The premier surprised everyone on Tuesday by announcing his intention to step down from political life once a new party leader is chosen.

What that means for the work now underway to finalize a deal on the future expansion of the Upper Churchill and the development of Gull Island is in the hands of negotiators and lawyers, says Furey.

He assured Legault that they’ve set the negotiating team and the oversight committee, “and now it’s really a lot of heavy-lifting by the lawyers.”