ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador says he is reconsidering support of Canada's free trade deal with Europe because the federal government is adding new conditions to a promised fishery fund for his province.
When the $400-million fund was announced in October 2013, then-premier Kathy Dunderdale said $280 million would come from Ottawa to pay for research and support displaced workers, with the province covering the rest.
The funding, in part to compensate for the removal of provincial minimum processing rules that protected fish plant jobs, was part of talks toward Canada's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union.
Premier Paul Davis told a news conference Tuesday that Ottawa is trying to put a monetary value on those minimum processing requirements and limit its funding commitment to the province.
Davis said the federal government is now proposing to split funds of up to $280 million among the Atlantic provinces. He said he will meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Liberal Opposition Leader Dwight Ball repeatedly pressed Davis during question period on the value placed on minimum processing requirements during talks with Ottawa that led to the federal share.
Davis provided no figure but talked about the cultural worth of those rules to the fishery.
He stressed on one hand that lifting the requirements for the European Union won't hurt the provincial sector and would open lucrative markets.
On the other hand, Davis said that Ottawa's $280-million commitment was a key prerequisite for giving up such protections.
"We didn't negotiate anything away," he told the legislature.
Ball said the premier appears to be arguing both sides of the issue with no clear value put on those processing concessions.
"You walked away from the table, had no idea what you walked away from."
