September 15, 2025: Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeham stands in front of a sign saying For All of Us and launches his party’s provincial election campaign. He tells his supporters a Churchill Falls deal with Quebec is, “too important to be made behind closed doors” and “most importantly, I will not sign any deal that does not have the clear consent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.” The crowd cheers.
In case that was not clear enough Mr. Wakeham promises to, “submit any final deal on Churchill Falls and Gull Island to a public referendum so all us can have our say.” The crowd cheers some more.
October 16, 2025: A month later soon-to-be-Premier Tony Wakeham stands in front of his cheering supporters to claim a victory in the Provincial election. Churchill Falls? Wakeham says, “Once we get the final negotiations done, however long it takes, then yes, we will bring it to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to have its say . . .but I will not be rushed.”
August 17, 2026: Premier Tony Wakeham is joined by Quebec Premier Christine Frechette and Prime Minister Mark Carney to announce his Churchill Falls deal. So long suckers. There will be no referendum.
Wakeham says, “In my conversations with the Prime Minister one thing has been clear, there is a need to move fast.” Wait a minute Tony! What happened to, “I will not be rushed”? Oh, right, the election is over and the script has shifted to, “The time is now. The urgency is now.”
September 14, 2026: Want to have your say, the one Tony said “all of us can have” when he launched his campaign?
Tony is going to give you a special sitting of the Legislature on September 14th, just a few weeks away. Tony says the Members of the House of Assembly will “scrutinize the deal on behalf of their constituents.”
Hmmm? A couple of weeks to not only digest the 71-page deal memo, but “scrutinize it” and we know that reading skills are not the strong suit of every member of Tony’s Cabinet.
Like to wager on political events? There are 21 PC members in the House of Assembly? How many PC members are going to vote in favour of the deal Tony had to “move fast on.” Putting your money on 21 is probably the smart play.
~~~
