The incoming Premier is calling for a collaborative approach in solving the pressing issues facing Newfoundland and Labrador, but the other two parties want it to be a two-way street.

Andrew Furey, who inherits a minority government, is spending his early days with finance officials and assembling his team for the Premier’s Office.

Opposition Leader Ches Crosbie is willing to cooperate, but only if Furey gives him equal access to important documents such as the numbers being provided by the finance department.

Crosbie says they requested the information on previous occasions, only to be denied.

He says they have to have access to the same planning document that Furey has access to.

NDP Leader Alison Coffin says her party made two recommendations to government on a cooperation model only to have both rejected.

Coffin says just telling everyone that your door is always open is not meaningful collaboration.

Outgoing and Incoming Premiers Meeting to Discuss Next Steps

Outgoing Premier Dwight Ball is not closing the door to the possibility of stepping down as MHA for Humber Valley to allow Liberal Leader and Premier-elect Andrew Furey run for a seat in the House of Assembly.

Ball has held the seat since 2011, but winning Humber Valley wasn’t an easy task.

Ball first ran in 2003 at the urging of Rick Woodford, but lost in the subsequent Tory sweep.

He won the seat in a byelection in 2007, only to lose it again in the general election a few short months later.

Ball reflects that it was tough running as a Liberal in what had never been a traditional Liberal district.

Memories of the contentious IWA loggers’ strike and the acrimony towards former Premier Joey Smallwood lingered in the district according to Ball, whose own grandfather was not a Liberal.

Ball has indicated he intends to stay on as MHA and support the new premier in whatever way he can, but will discuss with Furey what happens next.