IV.

History

A.

Exploration and Settlement

It is likely that indigenous peoples lived in Newfoundland and Labrador thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. Norse explorers first discovered the area about ad 1000. (Remains of a settlement at L'Anse-aux-Meadows were uncovered in 1963.) The area was visited in 1497 by the Italian-born explorer John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, and by the Portuguese navigator Gaspar Corte-Real in 1500. The French explorer Jacques Cartier visited the island in 1534.

Following Cabot's landfall, England made no attempt at colonization, but during the 16th century the coastal waters of the island attracted increasing numbers of French, English, and Spanish fishing boats. In 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert took formal possession of Newfoundland in the name of England. A colony, which became St John's, was established in 1610 on the Avalon Peninsula. During the 17th century France also acquired a foothold on the island, establishing a base of operations on the shores of Placentia Bay. French forces sacked and burned most of the English settlements on the island at one time or another and for a while seemed to have the upper hand.

In 1713, however, British sovereignty over Newfoundland was recognized by the Peace of Utrecht. France retained only the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, off the south coast, and cod fisheries on the west coast. Labrador became a British possession in 1763 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, but was transferred to Quebec in 1774. It became part of Newfoundland in 1809, but the boundary with Quebec remained a matter of dispute until it was settled in 1927. Colonization of Labrador was not undertaken until the 19th century.

B.

Colonial Status

The population of Newfoundland increased considerably during the 19th century as labourers from various parts of the British Isles were brought to work in the fisheries. With this influx of settlers and the growth of towns, the people of Newfoundland began to resent the colonization restrictions of the British government, directed at keeping the island merely a fishing station. This situation led to a demand for self-government. In 1832 Great Britain granted Newfoundland the right of representative government, and in 1855 complete self-government, or responsible government, was established, including a legislature of two houses, a Cabinet, and a governor. Exploitation of the abundant mineral resources began in 1864.

The financial condition of Newfoundland was continually precarious, and the adverse effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s resulted in virtual bankruptcy. In 1934 the British Parliament suspended self-government, and executive authority was vested in the governor, three Newfoundlanders, and three British commissioners, all subject to parliamentary control. The commission worked to develop agriculture, employment opportunities, and the educational and social welfare facilities of Newfoundland. As a result, economic conditions improved considerably. In 1941 the island became one of the eight British possessions in the western hemisphere on which sites for air bases were leased to the United States. The presence of American soldiers and the construction of US air bases gave an additional boost to the economic recovery of the island.

C.

Confederation

On July 22, 1948, Newfoundland chose to unite itself with Canada by a vote of 78,323 to 71,334. On March 31, 1949, Newfoundland became the tenth Canadian province. The Liberal party, under Premier Joseph R. Smallwood, held power in the province for 23 years. In 1972 the Liberal party lost control, and a new government under Premier Frank Duff Moores was formed by the Progressive Conservative party, the first such administration in the history of the province.

The Smallwood regime had embarked on numerous projects intended to spur the growth of modern industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. One of the more successful was the hydroelectric power development at Churchill Falls, Labrador, which began operating in 1971. By the mid-1970s the project was generating about 78 per cent of the hydroelectricity produced in the province. Most of the power from the Churchill Falls project was exported from Newfoundland and Labrador under an agreement with Hydro Quebec.

D.

The Late 20th Century and Beyond

Despite a degree of economic growth, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to depend heavily on the government in Ottawa for subsidies. In the 1970s and 1980s many Newfoundlanders migrated to other parts of Canada. The Moores government was more conservative in economic matters than its predecessor, concerning itself with the preservation of the province's fishing industry and other natural resources. When Moores resigned, in 1979, he was succeeded by A. Brian Peckford, another Progressive Conservative, who later that year won his own mandate; he was re-elected in 1983 and 1985.

Continued economic troubles in Newfoundland and Labrador bred discontent, however, and in the 1989 election a new Liberal leader, Clyde K. Wells, became premier, ending Conservative rule in the province. In 1996 Brian Tobin became premier, continuing Liberal control in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Liberals remained in power into the early 21st century; in the 1999 general elections, the Liberals secured victory, although by a slightly reduced margin compared to previous years. In 2000 Tobin was succeeded as premier by Beaton Tulk. However, Tulk stepped down from office in 2001 to concentrate on federal politics; he was replaced by Roger Grimes.