ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland — The Prime Minister’s Office says Newfoundland Premier Roger Grimes got it wrong this week when he released details of his private meeting in Ottawa with Jean Chretien.
Grimes, who met with Chretien on Wednesday, later told reporters the prime minister committed to changing the much-loathed clambake provision in the federal equalization payment program.
But a spokeswoman for Chretien, when asked Friday if a commitment had been made, replied: “No, it’s not correct.”
“There were no commitments made in the meeting (Wednesday),” Francoise Ducros said from Ottawa.
Atlantic premiers have long fought to have the provision changed because it penalizes economic growth, they say. A commitment to alter the clambake for Newfoundland would have been a major coup for Grimes.
The glaring contradiction comes at an awkward time for Grimes, who was sworn in as premier only a month ago when Brian Tobin resigned to return to the federal cabinet.
