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A Look at the Provinces, Part X: Newfoundland and Labrador

© David Newman

This is the tenth article in the series. The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is a two-part province consisting of, surprise, Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland is an Island while Labrador is the part north of Quebec. Although the province is commonly called Newfoundland, its official name was changed to Newfoundland and Labrador not too long ago. It has an area of 405,720 square kilometres and has a population of 568,474 people. The Capital is St John's (not to be confused with Saint John, NB), and is the last province to join confederation, in 1949.

Newfoundland is part of the Appalachian Region. Labrador is more than twice Newfoundland Island.

John Cabot visited the Island, apparently, in 1497 and although there were many Basque and Breton fishermen temporarily on the Island, the Island was under British rule but that didn't last long as control was passed back and forth over Newfoundland. It was only in 1763 where all French Possesions became either British (Canada and East of the Mississippi) or Spanish (West of the Mississippi). All that remained was a couple of minuscule islands known as Saint Pierre and Miquelon and Fishing Rights on the Northern Coast of Newfoundland. Britain considered Newfoundland a fishing post rather than a colony, and the island wasn't granted a representative government. In 1869, a referendum was called for union with Canada but a crushing majority was against the idea. In 1890, Newfoundland tried to limit American fishing in its waters and even when, in 1904, France gave up its fishing rights, the United States refused to give theirs up. However, Newfoundland was given power over American fishermen in their waters, with an arbitration settlement in The Hague in 1910. During the First World War, Newfoundland enjoyed a good economy but that meant beans when the depression came along. The Economy was revived during the Second World War. After the war some delegate called Joseph Smallwood suggested Confederation with Canada. And after a controversial (it is questioned if it wasn't rigged but hey) election, Newfoundland became Province number ten with Smallwood as premier. Nothing happened since except a bunch of Fishing issues which would take too much time too go through. Here's the basic thing: Overfishing.

Fishing has always been the main source of income for the province. But with recent overfishing the province has tumbled into third. Since the high unemployment rate and the low household income, most Newfies leave the island for better places for unemployment and where people don't give money to the homeless, such as Toronto. The alternative to Fishing in Newfoundland (pronouced Newfunlund or something close enough)