Premier Dwight Ball’s meeting with the prime minister this week came out of a request to discuss the start to a review of the Atlantic Accord, but covered a lot of additional ground.
In an interview the day after the meeting, Ball said Justin Trudeau asked about the province’s progress on carbon pricing (there are details still to come to the public on that).
- also discussed federal infrastructure funding, new U.S. tariffs affecting the Corner Brook paper mill and provincial economic indicators.
“In my view, it was a great meeting and he was certainly very understanding of the financial situation that we are into as a province and (beginning) the review of the Atlantic Accord (to) see what opportunities would be there to make changes that reflect the current financial environment of our province,” Ball said.
The premier pointed to the oil producing provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, saying Newfoundland and Labrador stands out against that group, given its level of debt and decreasing population.
“He’s … very receptive of where we are, the unique position we’re into as a province,” Ball said.
Asked if the Muskrat Falls project came up, Ball said it didn’t.
On the review of the Atlantic Accord, Ball said it is being given the necessary attention at the highest levels in both the provincial and federal governments.
The agreement has to be reviewed by March 31, 2019.
