Raymond B. Blake

I did not know that Newfoundland's road was so long. I had thought it was a 1940's battle but quickly learned it was much more. Initially invited to join the colonies in 1856 in creating Canada, Newfoundland actually sent a couple of delegates to one of the original conferences. When they held a referendum in 1869 to decide if they should join, it was defeated by a mainly wealthy merchant class who saw too much competition from a larger entity. Most citizens were illiterate and fully occupied with survival and thus easily manipulated if they voted at all.

In every colony election thereafter, the topic came up and was vigorously denounced and defeated. Some revolutionaries fought for social change such as pensions and relief for the poor but were generally denied by the government. When Newfoundland declared bankruptcy in 1934 and turned to England for support, a new dynamic entered the fold. England could not afford to keep rescuing the colony so was open to other options.

When WW II started in 1939, Newfoundland experienced a huge economic resurgence from the huge military expenditures by the USA & Canada. After the war, the confederation debate returned with Joeseph Smallwood leading the Confederation forces.

This is a long detail account but surprisingly very readable. Highly recommended.… (mere)