Article content Former NL premiers Danny Williams (left) and Andrew Furey are seen in this Telegram file photo. Photo by Telegram staff /THE TELEGRAMArticle contentWilliams weighs in anywayArticle contentNow, you have to admit, as many have observed — either publicly or while leaning against the bar at his or her favourite watering hole or sipping on a cup of well-steeped tea at the kitchen table — it took a heavy dose of gall for Danny Willliams, the Muskrat Man, to vociferously suggest that the proposal to alter the most financially atrocious and embarrassing contract in Newfoundland history should be torn to shreds.Article contentThis is the former premier, after all, whose rather unique calling card of expertise in Labrador hydro matters is stamped forever with the unforgiving mark of Muskrat Falls, a project he gave birth to, championed and continues to defend, but is now viewed far and wide as a multi-billion dollar white elephant, and as a shockingly “misguided” effort, in the words of Judge Richard LeBlanc in his scathing report on the troubled development.Article contentArticle content The Muskrat Falls power station. Hollis Yetman Jr.Article contentEven some of Williams’ long-time fans probably wish he’d just leave the debate on the overhaul of the ‘69 Upper Churchill contract to those not burdened with the albatross of Muskrat Falls.Article contentBut, of course, he hasn’t, he won’t; he can’t help himself.Article contentEven if he swore all those years ago that he wouldn’t criticize from the sidelines.Article contentWhat could this mean to the Churchill Falls MOU?Article contentIt’s certainly worthy of note that Williams campaigned for the Tories in the last election and one would presume he has the ear of the new premier, Tony Wakeham, whenever he so desires, and Wakeham — probably still getting over the shock that he won, and deluged with advice from all corners — is not going to turn down an audience with the likes of the exalted Daniel Williams.Article contentArticle contentAnd if that happens, and Wakeham takes Williams’ blunt recommendation to heart and decides to tear to shreds the MOU, it would be an unadulterated shame, if you ask me, akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.Article contentYes, there should be an independent assessment to ensure we’re not being screwed as we were with the ‘69 contract, but to tear the agreement to pieces, as Williams has implied, and start from scratch, would be counterproductive in the extreme.Article content A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was announced on Dec. 12, 2024, between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec to terminate and replace the 1969 Upper Churchill Contract, develop Gull Island and expand the capacity of the Churchill Falls plant. Photo by Staff /THE TELEGRAMArticle contentEven worse would be to sit back, take up residence in limbo, and do nothing until 2041, when the contract expires, and Newfoundland is sitting in the driver’s seat; such a bench-warming move would be doing the province’s population a disservice.Article contentFor example, Newfoundland has the highest percentage of people over the age of 65 in the country, most of whom, like myself, will be pushing up daisies by 2041, or drooling away in some senior citizens’ home, oblivious to the surrounding world.
BOB WAKEHAM: What happened to Danny Williams’ promise to ‘shut up and go away’?
