ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Borrowing a rallying cry from Quebec's Quiet Revolution, Premier Danny Williams invoked a strongly nationalist theme in a throne speech Tuesday that suggested Newfoundlanders want to be "masters of our own house.''
The outspoken premier, in his latest bid to taunt Ottawa, said Newfoundland will strive to reduce its reliance on the federal government.
"My government will harness the desire among Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to cultivate greater cultural, financial and moral autonomy vis-a-vis Ottawa,'' Williams said in the speech read by Lt.-Gov. Ed Roberts.
"Our province will achieve self-reliance by becoming masters of our own house.''
Under the slogan "Maitres chez nous'' -- loosely translated as "masters of our own house'' -- then-Quebec Premier Jean Lesage established in the 1960s state-owned industries that diminished anglophone control over the province's economy and encouraged the growth of a francophone business class.
Lesage's government introduced landmark reforms, including the expansion of Hydro-Quebec under the direction of Rene Levesque, then a Liberal cabinet minister.
For his part, Williams insisted he wasn't attempting to fan the flames of sovereignty.
"I don't mean this in any separatist way,'' he told the house of assembly.
"People shouldn't read anything into that because we are all strong nationalists and we're proud Canadians.''
"Political self-reliance simply means that we cannot rely upon those elected to offices outside of this province to deliver what is in our own best interest. We must achieve that on our own.''
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney, no stranger to provincial-federal imbroglios, was in St. John's on Tuesday for a charity gala.
He said he hasn't been following the dispute between Newfoundland and Ottawa but hopes the two levels of government can mend their fractious relationship.
"It's always unfortunate when things don't develop in harmony, but that's life,'' Mulroney said. "People take different positions from time to time and eventually, hopefully, they'll be harmonized into a common position.''
John Crosbie, a former Mulroney cabinet minister, said during a speech later at the gala that the "ferocious battle'' between Ottawa and the province can be resolved.
"We need a premier and a federal minister to work together to achieve this _ not be at one another's throat,'' said Crosbie, referring to Loyola Hearn, Newfoundland's representative in cabinet.
"That's futile, a futile process that will gain us nothing.''
Williams said he would continue to press Ottawa to keep its commitments, including a pledge to consider giving the province a multibillion-dollar loan for the proposed Lower Churchill hydroelectric project in Labrador.
"We are tired of being criticized for demanding that we are given what we have been promised,'' he said.
"I will never apologize for defending our rights, for protecting what we have fought for, and for demanding that promises be kept.''
Williams and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have been engaged in a highly public spat since the federal budget was tabled on March 19.
Williams has repeatedly accused Harper of breaking a campaign pledge by introducing a new equalization formula that includes 50 per cent of non-renewable resource revenues, as well as a fiscal cap.
That message was repeated throughout Tuesday's throne speech.
Harper has denied breaking any promise because Newfoundland still has the option of sticking with the principles of the Atlantic Accord, a federal-provincial agreement that protects the province from equalization clawbacks until at least 2012.
Liberal Leader Gerry Reid called the speech an opportunity for Williams and his Tory colleagues to "pat themselves on the back.''
"Pardon me if I sound a little cynical, but I could say I've heard a lot of it before,'' Reid said.
He then read from the government's first throne speech in 2004, noting at the time that Williams promised to "improve federal-provincial relations,'' which garnered laughter from the Opposition party.
Williams will table his government's budget Thursday, six months before a provincial election set for Oct. 9.
The Tories hold 35 seats in the legislature, the Liberals have 12 and the NDP one.
