Williams admits being premier can be frustrating
Published Monday November 2nd, 2009
Tough job | Newfoundland leader says it's difficult to get things done
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - While Danny Williams is proud of his many achievements as premier, not everything about the job appeals to him.
In a frank discussion about his political career - at the halfway point of his second mandate - Williams told The St. John's Telegram editorial board that parts of the job are frustrating.
"I enjoy what we're accomplishing as a government. I don't enjoy the job," Williams stated bluntly. "All things being equal, I've had a lot better jobs than this one."
While he said politics is both an honourable and difficult profession, he hates being called a politician because of the word's negative connotation.
But the good must outweigh the bad for Williams, as he reiterated that come 2011, his name will once again be on the ballot.
He still hopes to make the multibillion-dollar Lower Churchill hydroelectric project a reality before leaving office.
"I'm definitely going to hang around to see if I can get it done," said the premier.
Most of Williams' frustration stems from his business background.
He said in private business, once you have a vision and make a plan, you follow through.
"In government, I know where I want our province to be, I know where I want our people," he said.
But because of the nature of public life, Williams said, he spends about half his time talking to the media, spending time in caucus and cabinet meetings and dealing with the opposition.
Williams said there's a need for a strong opposition, but the other parties are often critical for the sake of being critical.
As well, Williams said he expects a certain amount of negative coverage in the news media, but he gets annoyed when it only focuses on the negative.
And there's no question the government has achieved many notable things in the past six years, he said.
"We were in a deep, deep hole," Williams notes of the province's balance sheet in 2003 when his Conservatives were first elected to govern.
He said that at one point he thought the province was on the road to bankruptcy.
But instead, Newfoundland and Labrador has boasted a series of budget surpluses that has shaved roughly $4 billion off the province's debt.
And late last year, Newfoundland and Labrador became a "have" province for the first time since joining Canada.
The province has also pumped $800 million - this year alone - into roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure. It's also acquired equity stakes in the offshore and paid off the unfunded liability of the teachers' pension plan.
"We've achieved much more fiscally than in my wildest dreams," Williams said.
But Williams said all the positives don't amount "to a row of beans" to people who are dealing with an important issue in their personal lives, community or provincial district.
"It's human nature. There's not too much you can do about that," he said. "When expectations are high, when there's an extra dollar available, everybody figures they're entitled to it."
After losing two ministers recently, Williams acknowledged the job can wear him down.
"It's easy to say they're big boys and girls, they should be tough and everything else. But walk in their shoes for a while and go through it," he said.
"I find the job very frustrating, I've got to tell you. I just feel like it's taking a huge toll on me over time."
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