Article contentThe total scope of the project will see new transmission corridors open up as it is anticipated to generate 14,000 megawatts of power.Article contentUnder this deal, some of that power can be sold through Quebec to other markets, something that was not in the 2024 MOU.Article contentWhen it comes to Gull Island, the deal guarantees 85 per cent of the workforce will be from this province, according to Wakeham.Article contentNot lost in all of this is a pledge to continue working with the Indigenous people in Labrador to ensure they are adequately compensated in any deal.Article contentIn getting the new deal done, the NL premier thanked his Quebec counterpart and her team.Article content“At times, you and your team were worthy adversaries at the negotiating table, but I am even more proud to call you a true partner today,” said Wakeham. “You were resourceful, resolute, and always positive, and I want to thank you for your leadership in helping secure a deal that is a win for both of our provinces.”Article content Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette speaks at the announcement in St. John’s of a new Churchill Falls deal. At left if Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham. Photo by Keith Gosse/The TelegramArticle contentQUEBEC BEHIND ITArticle contentFor its part in the deal, Quebec is pleased with the final product of an agreement that took months of negotiating to hammer out.Article contentArticle contentThe Quebec premier, whose father worked his entire career with Hydro Quebec, said she was proud to be presenting a new deal that will benefit both of the provinces.Article contentThat includes some 10,000 megawatts of power for Quebec and the creation of new jobs in her province, both of which are needed for the people there.Article content“Together, we shared our perspectives, came to the table, worked a lot constructively, and developed this new partnership,” said Fréchette.Article contentHOW WE GOT HEREArticle contentThis new Churchill Falls deal is another chapter in the history between NL and Quebec. It starts with a lumber dispute in 1902 and continues through a 1927 decision to award Labrador to Newfoundland.Article contentThen, there’s the hydroelectric power deal that was struck in 1969 that would see cheap electricity sold to Hydro Quebec until 2041.Article contentIt was going to stay like that until the promise of the 2024 MOU to end it, and the further negotiated current deal signed on Monday.Article contentImproving upon the 2024 MOU and finalizing a better deal was part of a campaign promise by Wakeham and his team in the last provincial election.Article contentArticle content“We have taken the hard lessons of the 1969 Churchill Falls disaster and learned from the mistakes made in the old 2024 MOU and replaced them with a new and better deal with both Quebec and the federal government that will finally put us in control of our own future,” said Wakeham.Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney (left), Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette arrive at an announcement for a new Churchill Falls deal between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. Photo by Keith Gosse/The TelegramArticle contentQUESTIONS REMAINArticle contentWhile everyone was smiling at the Monday announcement, there was still some uneasiness that the deal would not be finalized should the government of Quebec change after that province’s upcoming fall provincial election.Article content“It’s a possibility that another government decides to tear up that agreement,” said Fréchette. “Of course, our government will make sure to implement that agreement because it brings to Quebec 1,000s of new megawatts, and we need those megawatts for residents, for businesses, for every region in Quebec.”Article contentNO REFERENDUMArticle contentSpeaking of the campaign, Wakeham pledged to hold a referendum on any new deal that would come through.Article contentHe backed off that promise on Monday, instead opting for a special session of the House of Assembly on Sept. 14 to debate the deal.
‘Canada Strong’: NL, Quebec announce new Churchill Falls agreement
