May take anti-Harper campaign on the road: Williams

Danny Williams says he will campaign across Canada against Stephen Harper if the prime minister does not back up a written pledge on equalization made during the last election campaign.

The Newfoundland and Labrador premiersaid Friday he is still waiting for Harper to follow through on a written promise in January, in which he said a Conservative government would keep non-renewable energy resources out of the equalization formula.

Williams told delegates to a provincial Tory convention in October that their federal cousins should expect a "big goose egg" if that promise is not reiterated during the next election campaign.

At this week's premiers' meeting in British Columbia, Williams was told to cool down the rhetoric.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Williams said he is sticking to his guns and may try to use his national profile to trip up Harper's candidates in other provinces.

"If in fact they renege on their written commitment to me and to the people of the province, then absolutely I will campaign not only in this province but right across the country against him," Williams told reporters.

"But unfortunately it appears that, you know, Newfoundland and Labrador are the ones that have to stick their chin out a mile in order to get action across the country."

Earlier this week, former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord suggested Williams has made a career out of fighting federal governments and may have jumped the gun with threats to hurt the federal Conservative campaign.

Williams said he cannot take Lord's comments seriously.

'[Lord]hitched his wagon to Stephen Harper's horse during the New Brunswick election, and you know where that got him.' -Danny Williams

"Obviously [he] and Stephen Harper are very, very close," Williams said. "He hitched his wagon to Stephen Harper's horse during the New Brunswick election, and you know where that got him."

Lord lost the New Brunswick election in September.

Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn, who is Newfoundland and Labrador's federal cabinet representative, called for cooler heads to prevail and said it's too early for Williams to be making threats.

"I think the prime minister has made it clear that no province will be negatively affected" when the equalization program is changed, Hearn told CBC News.

Finance ministers are expected to meet with federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty in the coming weeks, with proposed changes to equalization expectedin early 2007.

Equalization is a federal program in which Ottawa distributes funds to "have-not" provinces so they can provide the same level of service as wealthier provinces.

Williams forcefully lobbied against former prime minister Paul Martin when Martin would not commit to a pledge he made during the 2004 federal election campaign to revise the Atlantic Accord on offshore oil revenues.

In early 2005, Williams persuaded the federal government toaccept the deal, which prevents oil revenues from being subjected to federal clawback.

Hearn said he is confident Newfoundland and Labrador's finance minister, Loyola Sullivan, was effective during the Atlantic Accord dispute.

"He did a magnificent job around the table, just eviscerated [former finance minister] Ralph Goodale and the others, and I would be surprised if he would walk away from the table without a good deal for the province," Hearn said.