Andrew Furey, Charles Bown, and Tough Decisions

If Andrew Furey wants to sell himself as a political leader who can make tough decisions in these difficult times, then his appointment of Charles Bown to head a crown corporation may have just made that task more difficult. According to Justice Richard LeBlanc, Commissioner of the Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Fall Project, Charles Bown was the Province’s “point person” as the megaproject transitioned from the drawing board to financial debacle. In his report, “A Misguided Project,” Justice Leblanc concluded that while there is “no doubt GNL politicians must be faulted for failing to provide a reasonable level of oversight of Nalcor” he singled out Mr. Bown, then-Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, calling his performance “inexcusable.” Premier Furey recently reorganized his cabinet, government departments, and the staffing of the senior levels of government departments and in his everything-is-on-the-table approach he would have weighed options for Mr. Bown’s future. The Leader…