Williams wasn't a push over and didn't let Newfoundland get pushed around. Something that's been happening since their time in Confederation.
Sometimes I think you need to be a prick in order to stand up for your rights, and the rights of your people. That's something Williams did. He didn't care what Alberta, Ontario, or Quebec thought of him, he was in charge of helping the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Something he, without question, did.
Albertans may not like him, may not like his ABC campaign, but he wanted to be able to have the offshore oil proceeds going to Newfoundland. Can you imagine if the federal government said "hey Alberta I understand you have oil, but since it's under land it's ours, tough". You don't think the Alberta premier would blow a gasket?
Imagine walking in and having BC say "the proceeds from Syncrude Mine come to us because of an agreement signed 50 years ago and will last for another 50". So when it comes time for development of the Suncor Mine you don't think the premier is going to hold out and screw BC in any way possible? Basically I'm making an analogy to Churchill Falls (so the parallel isn't exact but you get my point).
Newfoundland needed a premier that stood up and said "we're tried of being pushed around, go fata yourself and give us our fair share". Danny Williams was that guy. Rhodes Scholar, law school graduate, millionaire businessman, he's no slouch, he knew his role and played it well.
I have a lot of respect for the man (this coming from a guy whose province ended up on the short end of the off-shore oil agreement because of a premier that said "we'll take whatever you're willing to piss out for us").
He's like the hockey player you hate to play against but love on your team. You'd love Danny Williams if he was from Alberta, heck as someone mentioned you already had him (Ralph Kline).
The tag has "scandal coming?" I think it might have more to do with his health problems.
At the end of the day any Beatles fan has to be a big Williams fan, he got McCartney to divorce that wench Heather Mills.
