Danny Williams has given rare insight into his tense relationship with Stephen Harper.
The feud between Williams, when he was premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the prime minister was no secret. According to Williams, things started off on a bad foot even before Harper became PM.
Two months ago, Williams was entertaining 150 people at a $100-per-plate fundraiser for the Atlantic Salmon Federation at the Capital Hotel in St. John’s.
He recounted a meeting with Harper just before the Conservatives won the 2006 federal election.
According to two people in the audience, the story went like this:
Williams told the crowd that Harper leaned in and said, “If you think you’re going to (fiddle) with my country, you’ve got another thing coming.”
To which Williams said he responded, “If you think you’re going to (fiddle) with my province, you’ve got another thing coming.”
The anecdote apparently went over well at the fundraiser. Williams later confirmed telling it but didn’t confirm the details of the story.
“He does not feel inclined to discuss it in the media,” a spokeswoman said.
Harper’s communications director, Jason MacDonald, said, “No one here has any recollection of this actually happening. Sounds apocryphal.”
It’s not clear if MacDonald actually asked Harper if he remembered the exchange.
The Chronicle Herald also couldn’t confirm if Williams and Harper allegedly said “another thing coming” rather than the common “another think coming.”
Both men are Conservatives, but by the time of the 2008 federal election, Williams had launched his Anything But Conservative campaign, calling for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to reject Harper.
The Conservatives never won another seat in Newfoundland or Labrador while Williams was premier.
Peter Penashue was elected for the Conservatives in Labrador in 2011, after Williams retired.
But Penashue was later found to have overspent on his campaign.
He resigned and reoffered in a byelection last May but was defeated by Liberal Yvonne Jones.
Original Article
Source: thechronicleherald.ca
Author: PAUL McLEOD
The feud between Williams, when he was premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the prime minister was no secret. According to Williams, things started off on a bad foot even before Harper became PM.
Two months ago, Williams was entertaining 150 people at a $100-per-plate fundraiser for the Atlantic Salmon Federation at the Capital Hotel in St. John’s.
He recounted a meeting with Harper just before the Conservatives won the 2006 federal election.
According to two people in the audience, the story went like this:
Williams told the crowd that Harper leaned in and said, “If you think you’re going to (fiddle) with my country, you’ve got another thing coming.”
To which Williams said he responded, “If you think you’re going to (fiddle) with my province, you’ve got another thing coming.”
The anecdote apparently went over well at the fundraiser. Williams later confirmed telling it but didn’t confirm the details of the story.
“He does not feel inclined to discuss it in the media,” a spokeswoman said.
Harper’s communications director, Jason MacDonald, said, “No one here has any recollection of this actually happening. Sounds apocryphal.”
It’s not clear if MacDonald actually asked Harper if he remembered the exchange.
The Chronicle Herald also couldn’t confirm if Williams and Harper allegedly said “another thing coming” rather than the common “another think coming.”
Both men are Conservatives, but by the time of the 2008 federal election, Williams had launched his Anything But Conservative campaign, calling for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to reject Harper.
The Conservatives never won another seat in Newfoundland or Labrador while Williams was premier.
Peter Penashue was elected for the Conservatives in Labrador in 2011, after Williams retired.
But Penashue was later found to have overspent on his campaign.
He resigned and reoffered in a byelection last May but was defeated by Liberal Yvonne Jones.
Original Article
Source: thechronicleherald.ca
Author: PAUL McLEOD
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