The province is nearly $20-billion in debt – about five times as much as Prince Edward Island – and has a current account deficit of close to $1-billion.

Two former premiers – Francois Legault and Andrew Furey – hatched the plan a year-and-a-half ago to expand Churchill Falls and develop Gull Island. However, that deal is in a murky limbo as Premier Tony Wakeham takes a second look at it.

Globe and Mail columnist Konrad Yakabuski contends that Newfoundland and Labrador cannot say no to the MOU.

Former Premier John Hogan, who was a member of Furey’s cabinet when the hydro deal was forged, is calling on Premier Wakeham not to let it slip away.

“I know that Ontario is looking at small nuclear options; I’m not sure if Quebec might go that route,” Hogan told the Tim Powers Show.

“We will support government in any effort to get a good deal on the Churchill, but we need him to just tell us where he’s going on it.”

It was recently revealed that Williams donated nearly $47,000 to the PC party during the last election, and getting the Churchill Falls MOU stopped as a result of his efforts was one of his “single greatest achievements.”

Dinn says this is exactly why his party brought forward policies around corporate and union donations, electoral reform, and conflict of interest.

Dinn says he the Churchill Falls MOU review has been “mired in politics from the get go,” and calls news around the Williams donations “disappointing,” “frustrating,” and disheartening.” He believes these situations are the reason why many people choose not to vote in elections, and changes are needed to restore confidence.

The awards recognize people who are 50 and older and who have made a difference in their communities though volunteerism, professional work, or community leadership.

The application deadline is May 11.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services did not provide any information on the reason for early closure but did say that patients with appointments would be contacted directly.

May 1st marks the beginning of forest fire season in the province, and nobody wants a repeat of last year when the Avalon Peninsula and central Newfoundland burned.

Fred Hollett, the fire chief in Portugal Cove-St. Philips, says it became confusing to people when bans were on one day, off the next in one city or town but on all the way through in a neighbouring municipality.

He says people should check the index, which is a colour-coded system with blue/green being low risk, then going higher with yellow.

“The red colours mean that it’s very high or extreme. People can reach out to their municipality or you can call Paddy’s Pond,” says Chief Hollett.

Meanwhile, a temporary law in Nova Scotia banning people from going into the woods last summer as a means to prevent forest fires has been ruled by the courts to be unreasonable.

In a ruling on Friday, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court said the ban limited the rights of citizens to move freely, a right protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Newfoundland and Labrador did not close the woods, but imposed harsh penalties for anyone convicted of starting a fire during a time when outdoor fires were banned. The fines ranged from as little as $50,000 to a high of $150,000.

“We have our emergency shelters and our emergency housing program and then our future plans to continue building on affordable housing, accessible housing for seniors across the province,” she told reporters.

“So everything that we do here at First Point and in our future social enterprise endeavors will help build the sustainable funding to go back into helping us provide securely these programs for those in need.”

In the meantime, Connections for Seniors is hosting a housing forum this Monday to focus on what it calls “urgent solutions to the growing shortage of affordable housing for seniors.”

Guests include Finance Minister Craig Pardy, Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth and a representative of the Y-Foundation in Finland, Juha Kahila, who will share best practices in that country.

Bragg, a former cabinet minister under Andrew Furey, served as the town clerk in Greenspond for 30 years before running for provincial politics.

He passed away in 2024 at the age of 59.

The award recognizes people who make a “significant and lasting” contribution in the province’s municipal sector.

Last year’s recipient was Lizeta Gould, the town manager in Port aux Choix.

Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, May 20th.

The announcement took place at the White House with Joe Rogan in attendance, alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other supporters. Reports around the event noted that Rogan has been a vocal advocate for ibogaine and played a role in bringing attention to the issue within Trump’s circle.

The order focuses on easing some of the regulatory barriers that have slowed research into substances that remain restricted under federal law. Ibogaine, a naturally derived psychedelic, has been studied for its potential to address addiction and trauma-related conditions, though it continues to raise safety concerns among medical experts.

Officials described the directive as part of a broader effort to explore alternative treatments while maintaining oversight through controlled studies and clinical evaluation.

The Liberals won three byelections last week, pushing them past the threshold for a majority in the House of Commons.

While that doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be a snap election called, it does increase the likelihood that the Carney government will stay in power for the next three years.

Dr. Lori Turnbull, a professor at Dalhousie University, says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre “rebranded” himself after he initially won the party leadership to make himself more relatable.

She says that worked against Justin Trudeau, but with Mark Carney, the situation is different.

She doesn’t know if there is a rebranding that can work against Carney, so it is up to the party to decide if they want to keep trying.

As for the NDP and their new leader, Avi Lewis, Turnbull says he needs to prove himself to his party.

She believes the NDP would not be ready if an election were called six months from now.

However, Lewis has time to build relationships with his caucus and let people get to know him in his new role.

She says he also has to get the party out of debt and eventually try to win a seat in parliament.