Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald's latest moves in the battle with Ottawa over the Atlantic accords has his ally across the Cabot Strait scratching his head.

"I can't track what Rodney is doing," Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams said Wednesday.

Danny Williams says he has been baffled by recent statements by Nova Scotia counterpart Rodney MacDonald.
(CBC)

"On Friday, Rodney was getting the deal done, then on Saturday and Sunday he was out of it and was going to talk to the opposition and advise MPs to vote against the [budget].

"Then yesterday, he has a meeting with [Prime Minister] Stephen Harper and he's in."

Both provinces have been locked in a battle with the federal Conservative government over equalization payments and offshore oil and gas revenue deals signed in 2005.

The premiers have said the federal budget, which passed its third and final reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday, denies their provinces the benefits of the Atlantic accords.

While Williams was quick to lash out at the government after the budget was tabled in March, MacDonald was more conciliatory. Even last week, he suggested to Nova Scotia MP Bill Casey that he support the budget bill.

Casey, a longtime Tory, ended up voting against his government in a preliminary budget vote and was ejected from caucus. He opposed the budget again in the final vote.

Before Tuesday's final vote on the budget, MacDonald travelled to Ottawa to lobby Conservative MPs to vote against it. Even after his lobbying efforts proved unsuccessful, he said he was still trying to negotiate a deal with the government.

Williams said MacDonald should have learned by now that Harper cannot be trusted, and said he could be letting Harper off the hook by settling for a compromise.

"He's lowered the bar and, you know, I haven't had a conversation with Premier MacDonald that indicated that's exactly what he's doing, but that seems to be what is coming out of this," Williams said.

Williams suggests the federal Conservatives are trying to make peace with Nova Scotia to divide and conquer the provinces unhappy with the new equalization plan.

A spokesman for the premier's office in Nova Scotia said MacDonald would not be available for comment until Thursday.