1948 Newfoundland referendums
The Newfoundland Referendums of 1948 were a series of two referendums to decide the political future of the British Colony of Newfoundland. They occurred on June 3 and July 22, 1948. The eventual decision by Newfoundlanders was to enter the Canadian Confederation.
Background
Newfoundland was the oldest settled region in Canada, yet the last to obtain either a local representative government or responsible government. In 1832, it received local representative government in the form of a locally elected body of officials overseen by the governor.[1] The British only granted responsible government, where the government is responsible to the people and elected officials occupy ministerial jobs, in 1855.[1]
Newfoundland did not send any delegates to the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, which was to discuss a union of Maritime colonies. Latter that same year, Newfoundland did attend the Quebec Conference called by Sir John A. Macdonald to discuss a greater British North America union. The two Newfoundland delegates, F. B. T. Carter and Ambrose Shea, returned in favour of a union with Canada.[2] However, the Government of Newfoundland took no further action on any union and did not send representatives to the London Conference of 1866 where the British Government passed the British North America Act.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Newfoundland was almost $40 million in debt,[3] and on the verge of economic collapse. A commission recommended that Newfoundland should be "given a rest from party politics" [3] and form a special commission of government. Chaired by the governor it would consist of three people from Newfoundland and three from the United Kingdom.[3] Backing the recommendation was the United Kingdom, who agreed to take on Newfoundland's debts. This commission of government began on Feb. 16, 1934, and governed the island until it entered Canada in 1949.
The National Convention
The British government hoped that by the end of World War II Newfoundland would decide to join the Canadian Confederation and end the rule by commission.[4] Newfoundland first asked Canada for help in a return to responsible government, howver, Canada was not interested in helping Newfoundland economically and instead decided to encourage Newfoundland to join the Canadian Confederation.[4]
The British government decided to let Newfoundlanders deliberate instead of forcing them into something by calling a National Convention in 1946. Chaired by Judge Cyril J. Fox, it consisted of 45 elected members one of whom was the future first premier of Newfoundland Joey Smallwood.[5]
The Convention set up committees to study where Newfoundland's future lay. Many members assumed that the final decision was due near the end of their deliberations, but the timeline was upset when Smallwood moved that the Convention should send a delegation to Ottawa to discuss a union in October 1946.[5] His motion was defeated, as it only received the support of 17 members, but the Convention did later decide to send delegation to both London and Ottawa.
The London Delegation
The London delegation, made up of so-called anti-confederates, preferred that Newfoundland become independent rather than join Canada.[5] The group left Newfoundland on April 25, 1947, and met with a British delegation headed up by the Dominions Secretary, Viscount Addison. The British response to the delegation was that it would give no economic help to Newfoundland if it returned to responsible government. The leader of the delegation from Newfoundland, Peter Cashin, gave an angry speech to the Convention on May 19 claiming, "A conspiracy existed to sell this country to the Dominion of Canada".[5]
The Ottawa Delegation
The Ottawa delegation, dominated by pro-confederates including Smallwood, preferred a union with Canada to independence.[6] The talks between them and Ottawa began on June 24, 1947 with the goal being to stay in Ottawa as long as needed to negotiate good terms for Newfoundland's entry. Ottawa was reluctant at first because they felt that the delegation was not an official representation of the Dominion of Newfoundland, but the Federal Cabinet finally decided to begin negations on July 18.[6] By mid August, the agreement of draft terms was nearly complete. However, with the death of Frank Bridges, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's minister from New Brunswick, negotiations effectively ended. King refused further discussions until New Brunswick had representation,[6] and so the delegation headed back to St. John's.
Back in St. John's
The Convention reconvened on October 10 and Smallwood presented his delegations report, infuriating the anti-confederates.[6] Just as the Convention decided to debate the delegations report, the draft terms from Ottawa arrived. Ottawa offered to assume most of the debt, negotiate a tax agreement, and outlined which services would remain in the jurisdiction of the province.[6]
The Referendums
Newfoundland recommended that the British Government hold a referendum on Newfoundland's future. London agreed that a referendum was a good idea, and left it up to the Convention to decide what was to be on the ballot. Originally, the Convention decided that only two choices were to be on the ballot: restoration of responsible government, and the continuation of the Commission of Government.[7][6]
Smallwood moved on January 23, 1948 to add Confederation with Canada to the choices. The debate ended at 5:30 in the morning on January 28, with the motion being defeated 29-16.[6] The British government intervened in March and overruled the Convention, deciding that Confederation with Canada would indeed be on the ballot.[7] They did this after having concluded, "It would not be right that the people of Newfoundland should be deprived of an opportunity of considering the issue at the referendum".[7]
The Factions
Three main factions actively campaigned during the lead up to the referendums. One faction, led by Smallwood, was the Confederate Association (CA) advocating union with the Canadian Confederation. They campaigned through a newspaper known as The Confederate. The Responsible Government League (RGL), led by Peter Cashin, advocated an independent Newfoundland with a return to responsible government. They also had their own newspaper The Independent. A third smaller Economic Union Party (EUP), led by Chesley Crosbie, advocated closer economic ties with the United States. The EUP failed to gain much attention, and merged with the RGL after the first referendum.[8]
The First Referendum
The first referendum took place on June 3, 1948. The votes were as follows:[7]
| Choice | Votes | % of Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible Government | 69,400 | 44.6% |
| Confederation With Canada | 64,066 | 44.1% |
| Commission of Government | 22,331 | 14.3% |
| Total Votes | 155,777 | 88% (of total electorate) |
The Second Referendum
Since none of the choices had gained over 50%, a second referendum with only the two most popular choices was held on July 22, 1948. The results of this referendum were:[7]
| Choice | Votes | % of Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible Government | 71,334 | 47.7% |
| Confederation With Canada | 78,323 | 52.2% |
| Total Votes | 149,657 | 85% (of total electorate) |
As the results of the binding referendum were to join Canada, Newfoundland began to negotiate with Canada to enter into Confederation. After negotiations were completed, the British Government received the terms and subsequently passed the British North America Act, 1949 in the British House of Commons. Newfoundland officially joined Canada at midnight, March 31, 1949.[7]
Reaction to the Referendums
The elections for the Newfoundland House of Assembly followed a few months after Newfoundland entered Canada. The Liberal Party, led by Smallwood at first, swept to power and controlled the Provincial government until the 1970s. Reactions to Confederation were mixed.[9]
Newfoundland as a province secured some significant guarantees as a part of the union. As ruled by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1927, Canada agreed to put Labrador under the jurisdiction of Newfoundland, after some consideration.[10] Such commitments carried over to other areas as well, such as a ferry between Port aux Basques and North Sydney, and a guarantee that Newfoundland would be able to continue to manufacture and sell margarine.[10]
Canada was very welcoming of Newfoundland into confederation, as seen in an editorial in the The Globe and Mail on April 1, 1949:[11]
- Union with Newfoundland , as everyone knows, rounds out the dream of the Fathers of Confederation. This newspaper is certain that Canadians welcome their new fellow-countrymen with full hearts. May the union be forever a blessing for Canada and to the island which is yielding its ancient independence, but not its identity, to belong to a larger fraternity.
An editorial from the Montreal Gazette also gave Newfoundland a warm welcome, saying:[12]
- For Canadians tomorrow will be a day of welcome. For this is the day when a tenth province is added to the Dominion of Canada. There will be a greater meaning than ever to the Canadian motto, chosen by Sir Leonard Tilley from the words of Isaiah which describes the dominion that reaches "from sea to sea".
The Vancouver Sun also chimed in, saying:[13]
- Today a dream of greatness, present in the minds of the Fathers of Confederation more than 80 years ago, comes true. Newfoundland at long last is part of Canada.
Notes
- ^ a b The Development of Self-Government in Newfoundland
- ^ First Confederation Talks of Newfoundland With Canada)
- ^ a b c The Great Depression, Economic Collapse in Newfoundland and Newfoundland's Loss of Responsible Government
- ^ a b British Policy and Newfoundland
- ^ a b c d The Newfoundland National Convention
- ^ a b c d e f g The Ottawa Delegation, 1947
- ^ a b c d e f Newfoundland Joins Canada) and Newfoundland and Confederation (1949)
- ^ The 1948 Referendums from Library and Archives Canada
- ^ Newfoundland: Aftermath
- ^ a b Expectations as We Joined Canada from the Government of Newfoundland
- ^ Editorial from the The Globe and Mail
- ^ Editorial from the Montreal Gazette
- ^ Editorial from the Vancouver Sun