The Opposition says every day the MOU with Quebec is left on the table is another day that the 1969 contract on the Upper Churchill, which is heavily weighted in favour of Quebec, stands.

That contract gives the neighbouring province cheap hydro power. Virtually every Premier since the 1970’s has tried unsuccessfully to have it torn up.

Andrew Furey and the Liberals achieved an MOU with Quebec a year-and-a-half ago, but Premier Tony Wakeham’s Tories put that package on hold while he appointed a committee to review it. That review will be made public in a couple of weeks.

Liberal Leader John Hogan sees the Wakeham review as anything but independent.

“We don’t know how they were picked or who picked them or where their resumes came from or how they go to the Premier’s Office. We already know that one member of the panel has already said it’s a bad deal,” said Hogan. “We’ll wait until May 19 for him to tell us what he already thinks.”

He calls the panel “smoke and mirrors,” and says it’s time for the premier to tell the province how he feels about the MOU.

“If he feels that there are tweaks that should be done, call Hydro Quebec, work on the tweaks, and get a deal for Newfoundland and Labrador.”