Province calls the shots, Williams reminds Crosbie

John Crosbie has every right to his opinions, but his days in politics are over and he no longer gets to call the shots, Premier Danny Williams said Tuesday.

Williams was reacting to recent comments by Crosbie about provincial plans to give more autonomy to Corner Brook's Sir Wilfred Grenfell College.

Crosbie - a former provincial and federal Conservative cabinet minister - serves as chancellor of Memorial University.

"Mr. Crosbie is a citizen of Newfoundland and Labrador," Williams said. "He has an opinion, and he's entitled to it. From our perspective, we're the government, and we've made the decision as to what we're going to do here.

"Mr. Crosbie had his day in government, and he made his decisions in that time - that was a long time ago. Now we are the government and we are going to do what we think is in the best interests of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and that's exactly what we're doing here."

Last week, Crosbie was sharply critical of the province's plans, saying they go too far.

"I believe this will diminish Memorial's reputation as a university," Crosbie said at a Friday news conference.

Crosbie suggested politics, not policy, were at the heart of the decision. Both the premier and finance minister represent Corner Brook districts. A provincial election is set for Oct. 9.

"This is the only instance I know of where any government has interfered, for what could be thought to be politically partisan reasons, in the operation of Memorial," Crosbie said last week.

Memorial's board of regents does not agree with the plan to make Grenfell an independent institution in 2008.

But Williams dismissed their concerns.

"Obviously, the higher-ups - (MUN president Axel) Meisen and Mr. Crosbie - have a different opinion, but they're not the government," the premier said.

Both universities will receive sufficient funding under the new regime, he noted.

Williams said decisions should be made outside the overpass "to put a rural Newfoundland and Labrador emphasis on education and higher education in this province."

rantle@thetelegram.com