Federal funds for N.L. power unfair: Quebec

A top Quebec politician says his province objects to Newfoundland and Labrador's application for federal money to help it transmit power from Labrador to Nova Scotia.

Quebec's newly appointed Justice MinisterJean-Marc Fournier says he wants every province treated equally. That's why his province wrote a letter to the prime minister objecting to the application.

"If Newfoundland and Labrador want to develop their energy we are happy with that, we just ask that it is done the same as with every other province," Fournier told Radio Canada.

He notedQuebec didn't receive federal money to build its hydroelectric power transmission system.

Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotiasubmitted a request to the federal government in late June for federal infrastructure funding to defray the cost of a power line to Nova Scotia from Newfoundland. The line could potentially handle power generated from the proposed Lower Churchill hydroelectric megaproject in central Labrador.

On Thursday, N.L PremierDanny Williams called a news conference to speak out against what he described as "predatory" behaviour by Quebec

He accused Quebec of deliberately blocking the energy aspirations of Atlantic Canada by writing a complaint to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the funding application from the two Atlantic provinces.

Williams said Newfoundland and Nova Scotia reject the suggestion that they're asking for an unfair subsidy.