The Aftermath of War Lesson 9

Were World War II veterans treated better than veterans of World War I? How were soldiers treated when returning home from World War I? Divide into groups of 3 for a Jigsaw Activity p. 190-191 Complete TLS Worksheet 3.3.8 – Help for World War II Veterans We’ll take up the information when finished Discuss the Focus Question again

Don’t Make Him an Invalid What do you think invalid means? A person made weak or disabled by illness or injury The government increased taxes to pay for the social programs and the programs for returning veterans. What message is the cartoonist trying to send?

Show You Know Suppose you are a civilian at the end of World War II. Your income taxes are going to increase to help the government pay for the programs for returning veterans. Do you think this is fair? Explain the reasons for your judgement.

Where is Newfoundland? In 1939 Newfoundland was a British colony and not part of Canada.

Newfoundland’s Journey to Confederation 1854 – Responsible government granted by Britain 1860 – Newfoundland says no to Confederation 1894 – Canada say no to Newfoundland 1934 – Newfoundland loses dominion status 1948 – Referendums held on joining Confederation 1949 – Newfoundland joins Canada as the 10th province.

Was joining Canada the right choice for Newfoundland? In 1949, Newfoundland (now called Newfoundland and Labrador) voted to join the Canadian confederation. This decision did not sit well with all Newfoundlanders and many still believe that becoming Canada’s 10th province was a mistake

The Dominion of Newfoundland Like Canada in the early 20th century, Newfoundland was a dominion. Its main industries were fishing, mining, and lumbering. As long as the world wanted fish, minerals, and wood, there were lots of jobs for Newfoundlanders. But when the Depression started, demand for these products dropped - and about one-third of Newfoundland workers lost their jobs.

The Dominion of Newfoundland Both Canada and Britain sent money to help Newfoundland. But by 1933, things were so hard for Canadians that Canada was forced to stop making payments.

The Commission of Government In 1934, Britain agreed to continue helping Newfoundland - but only if it gave up its autonomy. As a result, the Newfoundland legislature was shut down and elections were stopped. Newfoundland became a colony again. It was run by a Commission of Government appointed by the British. Why did Newfoundland lose its Dominion status?

World War II During World War II, Newfoundland and Labrador were filled with Canadian and American troops. Money poured in as training camps, airfields, and ports were built and improved. St. John’s Harbour became a staging place for North Atlantic convoys.

World War II Airplanes that were being ferried to Britain landed at Goose Bay and Gander airports for refueling. Activities like these provided many jobs -but Newfoundlanders knew that these jobs would disappear when the war ended. What did Newfoundlanders fear would happen after the war?

The Referendum – TLS Worksheet 3.3.9 Britain decided to hold a referendum, which is like a vote, to let Newfoundlanders decide their own fate. The referendum, which was held in June 1948, included three choices: Become an autonomous dominion again Join Canada Keep the Commission of Government

The Referendum When the results were tallied, there was no clear winner, so a second referendum was held in July. This time, the only choices on the ballot were to become independent or to join Canada. The Canadian government helped the side that wanted to join Canada. This side was led by Joseph “Joey” Smallwood, who promised that Newfoundlanders would become eligible for unemployment insurance and the baby bonus. The other side warned that this would mean giving up control to Ottawa.

The Referendum The debate leading up to the vote was bitter. It divided families and friends. In the end, Newfoundlanders split almost equally: 71 334 people voted for self-government, while 78 323 voted to join Confederation. The Confederation side won by 6989 votes. Newfoundland officially joined Canada on March 31, 1949, and Smallwood was elected the first premier of the new province.

TLS Worksheet 3.3.9 Complete the worksheet