How not to go it alone

On March 22, Transport Minister John Hickey told the House of Assembly, "we will complete the Trans-Labrador Highway with or without the federal government"

In the 2007 budget, FinMin Tom Marshall said:

Last year, we also made a commitment to apply a sealed surface on Phase I of the highway and budgeted $15 million, to be cost-shared 50-50 with the federal government. Once again, we are putting forward our $7.5 million share and challenging the federal government to match it. Let me make it clear, however, that our government will proceed with hard-surfacing this year with or without a federal contribution.

And on April 25th of this year, Danny Williams himself told CBC Radio News:

We’re going to do it without’em. Now if that happens to be the Trans-Labrador Highway, or if that happens to be the Lower Churchill, we’re going to move foreward. We can’t wait for the presumed generosity and largesse of Ottawa to advance our province.

On second thought, apparently, We can:

We are determined to build on our work to date by completing the Trans-Labrador Highway and working with Ottawa to ensure Labrador's main highway is raised to a proper national standard and properly maintained.

Question: What the...?

Ibidem: Since when does the federal government maintain highways? Is the TLH the only highway that province wants Ottawa's help in maintaining? Cochrane? Antle? Hi!