Negotiators distance themselves from the aborted Churchill Falls referendum

When the provincial government announced yesterday that the promised public referendum on the Churchill Falls hydro‑electric partnership was being cancelled, the news sent a ripple through the province. Almost immediately, the lead negotiator for the deal, Barry Perry, stepped forward to clear his name.

“I never advised Premier Tony Wakeham to walk back on his promise,” Perry told CBC in an interview that felt part‑interview, part‑vent. He added that the whole situation felt “quite emotional” – a phrase that seemed to capture the tension in the room and the weight of expectations from Newfoundland and Labrador voters.

According to Perry, the negotiation team’s focus was always on the technical and financial aspects of the project, not on the political choreography surrounding a referendum. “Our brief was to get the numbers right, to make sure the power‑purchase agreement would survive court challenges and that the communities would see the benefits,” he said, pausing briefly as if choosing his words carefully.

The Premier had earlier pledged a public vote, a promise that was greeted with both applause and scepticism. Critics argue that the cancellation could erode public trust, while supporters claim the decision was taken after a “deep‑dive” into the economic realities of the project. Perry, however, insists his team was not consulted on that political pivot.

“I’m not a political adviser,” he laughed lightly, “I’m the guy who tries to make the turbines spin on paper.” The comment, though humorous, underscores a larger point: the negotiators see themselves as engineers of a deal, not architects of a referendum.

As the province moves forward, the debate over whether the public will ever get a say on the Churchill Falls deal remains open. For now, Perry’s reassurance offers a small solace to those who felt the referendum’s cancellation was a betrayal of an electoral promise.