'Nothing has changed' over Churchill Falls MOU with Legault's resignation, Wakeham says

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham says “nothing has changed” with the province’s memorandum of understanding with Quebec as François Legault announces his resignation.

In a statement to CBC News provided by Wakeham’s office, Wakeham wrote the independent review of the MOU he put forward in December is continuing.

“From my standpoint, it doesn’t matter who leads the province of Quebec or who will be sitting across from me at the negotiating table,” Wakeham wrote.

“My focus remains firmly on acting in the best long-term interests of our province and my priority will always be to ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are the primary beneficiary of our resources.”

Legault signed the MOU alongside former premier Andrew Furey in December 2024.

It centres around hydroelectric development at Churchill Falls, and could see Newfoundland and Labrador take in more than $225 billion over the next 50 years and increase power output on the Churchill River by nearly 4,000 megawatts — largely powered by the development of the Gull Island hydroelectric project.

Wakeham has long said he won't be rushed into signing a deal that doesn't give Newfoundland and Labrador the greatest benefit of its resources — and has called the previously established deadline to reach a final agreement by April an artificial timeline.

Wakeham’s independent review panel has until April 30 to present its findings, and the premier has promised to put the deal to a public referendum.

But in his resignation announcement on Wednesday, Legault stood firm in that the deal is the best it can be for both sides.

“I struck a deal … that I believed to be win-win with Newfoundland to increase and renew Churchill Falls, but also prepare[s] the development of a new project, Gull Island. Unfortunately there was an election in the past few months, the new government decided that this agreement was too advantageous for Quebec,” Legault said.

“I'm confident that over the next months we will reach a win-win deal because it’s important for Quebec and important for Newfoundland to take advantage of this enormous opportunity.”

Liberal Leader John Hogan, who was part of negotiations with Legault before the Liberals fell out of power, said Legault mentioning the MOU shows the importance of the deal to him.

He sees it as a signal that Legault wants to get the deal signed before he leaves office, and noted it could be the best opportunity to get a deal done.

Sovereignist Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who has been leading in Quebec's polls for months, has said the deal is "humiliating."