Saying the decision not to hold a referendum on the new Churchill Falls deal was a difficult one, Premier Tony Wakeham acknowledges that some people will be “disappointed” with that move.

The promise of a referendum was a key commitment in the PC election platform. Yesterday, Wakeham revealed that a public vote will not be held, instead replacing it with a special debate in the legislature.

When asked why he changed course, Wakeham states that “the time is now, (and) the urgency is there.”

That statement is very different from Wakeham’s position leading up to this point where he repeatedly said he would not be held to any “artificial deadlines” or rushed into making any deals.

“What’s happened is I also said that I wouldn’t make a decision until we reached a deal. So we have reached a deal. And when I look at the opportunities in front of Newfoundland and Labrador, that’s what we’re talking about. I turned around and asked for an independent review. We have followed the recommendations of that independent review, and we have come up with more power, more transmission, and more value, more jobs, a federal government who wants to be involved in the project. And right now is the opportunity for us to move.”

NDP Leader Jim Dinn says he welcomes Premier Wakeham’s commitment to debating the new deal in the House of Assembly.

Dinn last week called on the premier to reopen the House of Assembly to debate the new deal.

He calls it “deja vu all over again,” saying the devil is in the details.

“Is it the best deal for NL? We’ll see.” He says, “it’s got to be a deal that both sides can live with…that it’s better than the 1969 deal” and “does it give us access to power?…that’s what we’ll decide this on.”