Notes from a scrum (IV)

And yet another bizarro moment from Our Dear Scrum on Wednesday, in which We pitch the Lower Churchill project:

This is a great national project. It’d provide work and provide power for at least four provinces, and also a lot of the fabrication work [mumblemumble] come out of Quebec and come out of Ontario.

Now, that’s interesting.

One day in December, 2002, the same fellow who scrummed today after speaking to the St. John’s Bored of Trade was on the offensive.

In the House of Assembly, He went ape-ballistic over the possibility that the Lower Churchill project might create jobs in other provinces, especially in Quebec:

Mr. Speaker, even more information came from the meeting in Labrador which the Premier held. Would the Premier confirm that he told that private meeting that the prefabrication of the turbines and powerhouse components would be done by Quebec companies, in Quebec?

[…]

Mr. Speaker, last month, in his economic plan for the next three years, called Horizon 2005, Premier Landry of Quebec said his government is concentrating on an agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador concerning the development of Gull Island which could lead to the creation of numerous jobs and numerous business opportunities for Quebecers. That is the contrast with our Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why are we entering into an agreement to create numerous jobs and opportunities for Quebecers and only fifty long-term jobs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians?

Once upon a time – that is, less than seven years ago – Lower-Churchill-related fabrication jobs in Quebec was a vice.

Now, it’s a virtue.

Then, it was a sellout.

Now, it’s a selling point by a salesman who has more than a hint of desperation in his voice.

Somewhere, Roger Grimes is rolling his eyes.