Newfoundland Joins Canada 1949

Joey Smallwood Became last Father of Confederation Brought Nfld. into Confederation in 1949 by holding a referendum Only won by 2% of vote

Outports vs Cities Choice was to be independent, to stay a colony of Great Britain, or to join Canada (Most) People in the outports did not want to join Canada (Most) People in the cities saw Confederation as a way to improve their lives

Smallwood Became Premier and stayed that way until 1972

Resettlement Under Joey Smallwood, 300 communities and 30,000 people were “resettled” to “growth centres” Terrible upheaval and loss of a way of life Mummers

Resettlement

OPINION: Some people agreed that life would be better for them and their children if they moved. Some people thought this because they knew that it was very difficult for the government to provide the services that people wanted and deserved in the outport communities. However, it was easier and less expensive to provide schools, health care, and transportation to fewer but larger and more centralized communities. Also, the fishermen would have to transport their catches long distances. This made some of the homesteaders want to move to larger “growth centers” which meant leaving their original homes.

OPINION: On the other hand, to many others, leaving their childhood homes meant the loss of the cliffs that they had climbed as children, the bay where they sailed and caught their fish, the old church on the hill, and to many it meant the departure of the homes that they had grown up in. The departure affected everybody who left, though. In all of their hearts there was, in some way, a lonesome cry, and homesick feeling, which made their hearts long for what they called home.

Resettlement Resettlement wasn’t mandatory, but the government cut all services to these communities

What Smallwood said: “I’ll drag Newfoundlanders kicking and screaming into the 20 th century.”

What do you think? Did he do the right thing?