ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - As Premier Danny Williams fights for what he calls Newfoundland's "struggle for fairness in Confederation," he is confronted with a similar battle within his own province.
The Progressive Conservative leader, a heavy favourite to win next month's provincial election, has forged much of his campaign on improving the province's fiscal standing -- with or without Ottawa's help.
In his "march toward self-reliance and prosperity," Williams contends that Canada has benefited from the province's wealth of natural resources while Newfoundland continues to seek its fair share.
That argument could come back to haunt him in Labrador come the Oct. 9 vote.
"Our fight is no different from his," said Leo Abbass, mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador's largest town -- population 8,000.
"We'd like to be on par with the rest of the province with regards to the basic necessities."
While the region already boasts world-class mining and hydroelectric developments, some areas of Labrador are beset with problems that many Canadians would find deplorable: a lack of access to health-care facilities, squalid housing conditions and shortages of running water.
The primary roadway, the Trans Labrador Highway, is mostly gravel and doesn't connect the entire region, though Williams has promised to extend it and lobby the federal government to help pave it.
Labrador may hold only four seats in the 48-seat legislature, but it is a critical political battleground. All three major parties -- the Progressive Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats -- have at one point had members representing the region.
Williams, who made two campaign stops to Labrador during the first week of the campaign, found himself fielding heating questions from residents over his vision for the proposed multibillion-dollar Lower Churchill hydroelectric project.
"I'm not surprised that he got an earful from the constituents in those districts," said Memorial University political science professor Michael Temelini.
"They have the same grievances about Newfoundland that Newfoundlanders have with the rest of Canada -- namely, the failure to realize the benefit of their resources."
Even Abbass, a supporter of Williams, acknowledges a tide of discontent from Labradorians.
"We're at a point in time in history where we want to see improvements to our quality of life and to the services that we require, and we want to see them now," he said.
"People are looking at the Lower Churchill as possibly one of the last chances to gain from the resources that are coming out of Labrador."
Another factor working against Williams is the Labrador party's decision to pull out of at least two Tory-held ridings. Instead, the party is throwing its support behind Liberal and NDP candidates who they feel could unseat the Conservative incumbents.
Williams was not available for comment, but the opposition leaders were swift to pounce, calling the premier's campaign stops weak attempts at shoring up support for two Tory-held seats that are seen as vulnerable.
"What people are saying in Labrador is that the (Tory members) are not the voices of Labrador, they are the premier's echo in Labrador," said Liberal Leader Gerry Reid.
NDP Leader Lorraine Michael said Williams was trying to soothe concerns that Labradorians are being forgotten while the premier pushes for more revenues from the offshore oil industry.
"I don't think the people of Lab West are going to buy it," Michael said, referring to the district that her party held for eight years until the Conservatives won it in a byelection in March.
While the first week of the campaign delivered a couple of bumps on the road for the Conservatives, it also saw the Liberals scrambling to contain remarks made by a party supporter.
Jim Combden, while speaking at a Liberal rally in central Newfoundland, called Williams "my Fuehrer."
"Jim Combden got carried away in a speech that he was giving to a group of party faithful," Reid said, adding that he apologized for comparing the premier to a Nazi dictator.
The three party leaders will spend the next two days preparing for their televised debate Tuesday night.
With the Liberals a distant second in the public opinion polls, Reid has the most at stake, Temelini said.
"These debates are critically important for Gerry Reid, because he's got to maintain his base of support," Temelini said.
"He's going to want to convey an impression that he will, at the very least, be able to organize an effective opposition to this government."
At dissolution, the Tories had 34 seats, the Liberals 11 and the NDP one. There were two vacancies.
