Many Newfoundland politicians have decried the trend; Danny Williams hopes to be the one who actually does something about it. His immediate dreams are pinned on the non-renewable resources of the offshore oil fields. It's all balanced out so that revenue from Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose will carry things through until the new Hebron field kicks in and produces for perhaps 25 years.
At the same time, the province should see development of endless and renewable hydroelectric power on the Lower Churchill River. This time it will all belong to Newfoundland, although nobody has yet figured out how to get the electric power to market economically unless it goes through Quebec. And then, in 2041, the old lease will expire and Newfoundland will get control of the Upper Churchill hydro operation, but that power will also have to find a way to market.
Those conundrums will be added to the to-do list of the energy company established by the province last summer to look at economic development in the future. On another list are the Premier's pet projects for the time when the oil runs out: an aluminum refinery, a liquid natural gas port, wind power from Labrador, and development of the estimated 60 trillion cubic feet of natural gas off Newfoundland's shores.
Maybe, maybe. When he gets wound up, the Premier is almost unstoppable: "I'm trying to keep us in the game, and once we have become a have-province, stay there or stay very close to it on a long-term basis. It's that type of security I'm trying to give young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, young couples, so they can come home and have their families here and instead of a population decline, we'll have a population increase."
Experience has established that if you're rude to Danny Williams, he will be rude back, and then some. But for a guy with a reputation as a political brawler, he is charming and courteous. True, he has a handshake that could break walnuts, but with his rimless designer glasses, his immaculate dark blue suits and an easy smile, he does not appear to be a man who is looking for a fight.
So does he enjoy being a tough guy? The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador looks slightly startled at the question. He shrugs.
"I'd prefer not to, but I don't mind a fight. I've always been that way. We're so busy here and we've got so many exciting things happening, I don't like to have 50% of my attention in my first four years diverted to battles that shouldn't happen. But if a battle's got to happen, then I'm game. It's as simple as that."
Is it fun? The Premier smiles ever so slightly and tries to push the question away. "Fun wouldn't be the term."
But when he called Harper "Steve"?
At that point the Premier actually laughs.
Does the "Steve" shtick not drive Harper crazy? The Premier laughs again.
"I'm sure it does. There is that fun side of it. There are strategic positions that have to be taken in any kind of a negotiation. And I do enjoy it. I become very strategic. I'm not a chess player, but I can think like a chess player and I like being three or four moves ahead all the time."
All of which suggests that on the matter of relations between Ottawa and Newfoundland, the next few months will be a lot more fun for Danny than for Steve.
