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TRAILER - How did Newfoundland Join Canada?
169 Plays1 year ago
In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Or, they could vote to join Canada in Confederation. In an upcoming series of episodes we travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland, to interview former Premier Clyde Wells, artist Kathleen Knowling, writer Bernice Morgan, and former MP Richard Cashin about their memories of the Confederation debate, -- and to ask them if they think Newfoundlanders made the right choice when they joined Canada.
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Transcript
Confederation as Civil War Memory
00:00:03
Speaker
Confederation is a civil war. Like the South never forgot the civil war. There's people in Newfoundland never forgot it's a Confederation battle.
Newfoundland's 1948 Decision
00:00:13
Speaker
In 1948, the people in the British colony of Newfoundland faced a choice. They could become an independent country within the British Commonwealth, or they could vote to join Canada in Confederation.
St. John's Anti-Confederate Sentiment
00:00:26
Speaker
St. John's was an anti-Confederate headquarters.
Bishop O'Reilly's Pro-Confederation Stance
00:00:31
Speaker
Bishop O'Reilly in Cornerbrook, an Irishman himself, was very pro-Confederate.
Perception of Canadians vs. Newfoundlanders
00:00:38
Speaker
I remember my father saying that Canadians were just mirroring us with the varnish rubbed off.
00:00:43
Speaker
How did the debate go down?
Support for Independence or Confederation?
00:00:45
Speaker
Who was for independence? Who was in favor of joining Canada? And did Newfoundlanders make the right decision?
Upcoming Episode Preview
00:00:51
Speaker
Coming soon on Stories Behind the History, Newfoundland's big choice, Canada versus independence. The Stories Behind the History podcast is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and on our website at canadashistory.ca.