Harper's Newfoundland and Labrador Dilemma
CBC is reporting that the Newfoundland and Labrador government is asking the federal government for money (in the form of loan guarantees) to expand the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project (I originally heard this on CBC Radio One, the link is the closest at CBC.ca). This poses a dilemma for Harper. Does he give the money in an attempt to buy needed votes in Atlantic Canada? This despite the fact that this would mean that federal money would go to ridings that aren't represented by the Tories and that there would be no local Tory MP available to hand out a large novelty cheque with a CPC logo on it in the resulting photo-op. It would be nice to think that the decision whether or not federal money is made available for this project was based on the merits of the project, but that isn't the MO of the Harper Conservatives. Their actions, especially during the economic downturn, show that they will generally only provide federal money to ridings that vote Conservative. So what will happen in this instance, with Newfoundland and Labrador having returned no Conservatives in the last election? I see three possibilities:
- The Harper government provides the money in an attempt to buy votes in Atlantic Canada. They send some minister of the crown to hand out a novelty cheque with the party logo on it and slap up some Economic Action Plan signs.
- The Harper government tells Newfoundland and Labrador to stuff it. Officially the talking points will be that during these tough economic and budgetary times there's no money for the project so N&L can't have any money. Unofficially this is punishment for voting for someone other than dear Maximum Leader.
- The Harper government tells Newfoundland and Labrador that they'll get the money on the proviso that they elect some Conservatives to Parliament come next election. That is, the money will come after the election and only if N&L return Tories to the Commons.
The question is of course, which of these options the PM will pick. Newfoundland and Labrador snubbed him pretty hard last election and Harper isn't one to take that lightly. On the one hand, Harper is desperate for unlimited power and would do almost anything to get it, including giving money to non-Tory ridings. On the other hand, wrongthinking must be punished, it's the way that the Haper Conservatives think. If I were to guess which option that Harper would pick, I'd go with number three, promise the money, but only deliver after the next election and only if the voters in Newfoundland and Labrador vote the "right" way. That would be a win-win for Harper. He would be able to bribe the good people of N&L with the prospect of money and jobs, and after the election, regardless of how they voted, not pony up the money under the guise of fiscal responsibility.
Which option do you think Harper will take? There's a poll off of the main page of this site in the right hand column to see what you think he'll do.