Harper seems to be pissing many people off lately.Ottawa and St. John's appeared to be headed for a new round of hostilities over the weekend as Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams clashed with visiting Prime Minister Stephen Harper over equalization and the development of offshore oil and gas fields.
The weekend started cordially, with Mr. Harper and Mr. Williams jointly attending the convention of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party in Gander on Saturday.
Tempers flared after Mr. Harper refused to side with the Newfoundland position in a coming reform of the equalization program. In addition, Mr. Harper refused to heed to the province's desire for so-called “fallow-field” legislation that would impose tight deadlines on the development of the province's oil resources.
Mr. Williams was scathing in his remarks to party supporters Saturday night, after Mr. Harper had left the province. Mr. Williams said the province should get ready for a new round of tough interprovincial negotiations. In doing so, he brought back memories of his 2004 decision to take down the Canadian flag in provincial buildings as he fought to protect Newfoundland's offshore revenues from an equalization clawback.
“Stay tuned, you might be into round two before this one is all over,” Mr. Williams told party supporters. In addition, he warned the federal Conservatives that they will face electoral carnage if Newfoundland loses money in changes to federal transfers.
“This Prime Minister is telling me when he comes into my province, into our town, to our convention, that he hasn't made his mind up yet,” Mr. Williams said.
“He better make his mind up, I can tell you right now. . . . Because if not, when those federal election results come in across the country and they come to Newfoundland and Labrador . . . there better be a big goose egg for the Conservatives if they haven't delivered on their promise.”
He appears for now at least, he is going to lose seats in NFLD in addition to the ones he will lose in Ont, PQ, BC and Prairies.
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