Opposition urges government to pause Churchill Falls negotiations ahead of first ministers' meeting

The leader of Newfoundland and Labrador's Official Opposition wants the province to put the brakes on Churchill Falls negotiations.

PC Leader Tony Wakeham says the world has changed since the memorandum of understanding was first introduced in December, and he wants the governing Liberals to focus on developing a potential "national energy corridor" that has come up in recent months.

"We need to slow down and take an opportunity to evaluate what that might look like," Wakeham told CBC News on Tuesday.

Before the federal election, Prime Minster Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre both pledged to create an energy corridor. 

While it's uncertain what that could look like, a post on the federal Liberal party's website says that Carney intends to fast-track "projects of national interest."

The prime minister will meet with leaders from each province and territory, at a first ministers' meeting on Monday in Saskatoon. 

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Premier John Hogan said he feels that the meeting will be a good opportunity to discuss the province's priorities. 

"[Carney is] focused on nation building projects," said Hogan. "And those are the discussions that we're going to be having; about what that means, what the projects will be and what sort of assistance the federal government is looking at providing to the provinces to help develop those national building projects."

At the same time, Hogan says he's committed to moving forward with the Churchill Falls deal while exploring "additional opportunities" with the federal government, according to a statement from the premier's office sent on Tuesday.

The new Churchill Falls deal, which Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec hope to finalize by next year, would bring an average of $1 billion to the province's coffers each year until 2041. Four combined projects outlined in the deal could generate 5,000 direct jobs.

Wakeham insists Newfoundland and Labrador is rushing that deal.

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jim Dinn says any pause would "spell the end" for Labrador West.

Dinn was a staunch advocate for independent oversight and still questions some parts of the proposed deal, but still doesn't want to see it put on hold.

"It's actually injected a sense of hope and prosperity," he told reporters this week.

"Why would you basically sound the death knell, then, to Labrador West by saying 'let's pause it' and 'let's wait and see what happens. The damage is going to be done." 

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