Atlantic Accord 25th anniversary celebrated

Newfoundland and Labrador's oil and gas industry threw a party Thursday night to mark the 25th anniversary of the Atlantic Accord a deal considered a pivotal moment in the province's economic development.

John Crosbie, one of the signatories to the deal, and the province's current lieutenant-governor, told CBC Newsthe agreement was reached after a hard fought battle involving then Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and former premier Brian Peckford that gave the province control of its offshore resources.

"It was hard sledding," Crosbie told CBC News, "but ... it's been a tremendous success, financially and economically for Newfoundland."

Crosbie, was the guest of honour at Thursday's event held at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown St. John's, where theAccord was signed in 1985. He was the province's representative in the federal cabinet at the time.

When the deal was signed, Mulroney spoke the now-famous line, "I am not afraid to inflict prosperity on Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Accord, which addressed revenue sharing, ended years of conflict between the federal and provincial governments over offshore rights, and allowed oil developments such as Hibernia to move forward.

The oil industry provided an economic jolt that wasneeded in the province in the wake of cod moratorium that saw 20,000 people thrown out of work in 1992.

Jack Lawlor, the chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association an organization that represents people who work in those industries on the east coastsaid the Accord transformed the province's oil business.

"I've been involved in the oil and gas industry myself for going on 30 years, so it's been very important for me working in the oil and gas industry," he said,"but, more importantly, I don't think it's me we've got to talk about. It's actually the province. I think it's a very important and monumental day for the province."

Lawlor said, without the deal, oil development projects such as Hibernia would not have moved forward as they did.

However, the anniversary celebration opened up some old wounds.

Pat Carney, another signatory to the deal, was the federal minister of energy, mines and resources at the time.

She said she received an invitation to the celebration in St. John's, but wasn't asked to speak, according to an interview given to the Vancouver Sun.

"I am furious that I have once again had my role in this historic achievement usurped by [John] Crosbie, as he did with the Free Trade agreement," she was quoted as saying.

The article said Carney is upset because she was given no notice or travel budget to allow her to attend the celebrations, and that she wasn't asked to be part of the planning.

Asked about her comments, Crosbie acknowledged that Carney "did a good job at what she was doing with the Atlantic Accord when it was being drafted," but he dismissed the notion that he was trying to take all the credit, and said that he didn't want to get into a public squabble with her.

"It's really too silly to comment upon," he told CBC News. "How I could take the credit for it? You either get credit because you deserve it or you don't get any credit. And I don't know why she should be at this stage bringing this up," he said.

Crosbie said he sent Carney an invitation as "a matter of politeness," but he didn't have control over the timing or the money for the invitation.