130-488: The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada. The party is the provincial branch, and affiliate of the federal Liberal Party of Canada . It has served as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since December 14, 2015. The NL Liberals were re-elected to a majority government in the 2021 provincial election . The party originated in 1948 as
260-615: A Bachelor of Education degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland , and has completed postgraduate work in English Literature, Education, Psychology, and French Literature. Prior to entering politics, he was a high school teacher in rural Newfoundland. He was the founding patron of the Wessex Society of Newfoundland and Labrador . Peckford was the Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate in
390-536: A Tory MHA. Six of the by-elections were won by a Progressive Conservative candidate and the Liberals won one. The by-election they won was held on October 27, 2009 in the district of The Straits - White Bay North . The by-election was held to replace Minister of Transportation and Works , Trevor Taylor , who resigned on October 2, 2009. Liberal candidate Marshall Dean squeaked out a win taking 1,975 votes compared to 1,799 for PC candidate Rick Pelley. The by-election
520-472: A budget, introducing new legislation and overhauling the rules of legislative procedure. On May 25, 1979, the legislature was dissolved with an election called for June 18. The election was called after Rowe had announced a Liberal leadership convention for July 6–7, due to party dissension over his leadership. While Rowe had planned on contesting the leadership himself he stepped aside and the Liberals installed Liberal MP Don Jamieson as leader two days after
650-494: A century prior. Fishing boats originated from Basque country, England, France, and Portugal. In 1585, during the initial stages of Anglo-Spanish War , Bernard Drake led a devastating raid on the Spanish and Portuguese fisheries. This provided an opportunity to secure the island and led to the appointment of Proprietary Governors to establish colonial settlements on the island from 1610 to 1728. John Guy became governor of
780-747: A charter from English King Henry VII to "sail to all parts, countries and seas of the East, the West and of the North, under our banner and ensign and to set up our banner on any new-found-land" and on June 24, 1497, landed in Cape Bonavista . Historians disagree on whether Cabot landed in Nova Scotia in 1497 or in Newfoundland, or possibly Maine, if he landed at all, but the governments of Canada and
910-668: A constitutional name change of our province will reiterate that commitment". Following approval by the House of Commons and the Senate, Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson officially proclaimed the name change on December 6, 2001. Newfoundland and Labrador is the most easterly province in Canada, situated in the northeastern region of North America . The Strait of Belle Isle separates the province into two geographical parts: Labrador, connected to mainland Canada, and Newfoundland, an island in
1040-511: A land border with both the province of Quebec , as well as a short border with the territory of Nunavut on Killiniq Island . The French overseas collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon lies about 20 km (12 mi) west of the Burin Peninsula . According to the 2016 census, 97.0% of residents reported English as their native language, making Newfoundland and Labrador Canada's most linguistically homogeneous province. Much of
1170-500: A large majority government. Prior to the election Mulroney had agreed to a fair deal for the province with regards to offshore energy resources. On February 11, 1985, less than six months since Mulroney's election victory, both levels of government signed the Atlantic Accord . The Accord granted Newfoundland significant decision-making powers and financial benefits. It made the federal and provincial governments equal partners in
1300-435: A little lower on the coast than inland. The maritime climate produces more variable weather, ample precipitation in a variety of forms, greater humidity , lower visibility, more clouds, less sunshine, and higher winds than a continental climate. Human habitation in Newfoundland and Labrador can be traced back about 9,000 years. The Maritime Archaic peoples were sea-mammal hunters in the subarctic . They prospered along
1430-607: A major source of conflict between Britain, France and Spain, who all pressed for a share in the valuable fishery there. Britain's victories around the globe led William Pitt to insist nobody other than Britain should have access to Newfoundland. The Battle of Signal Hill was fought on September 15, 1762, and was the last battle of the North American theatre of the Seven Years' War . A British force under Lieutenant Colonel William Amherst recaptured St. John's , which
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#17327914362401560-499: A majority of votes. On June 16, 2018 delegates at the Liberal Party Annual General Meeting vote to endorse the leadership of Dwight Ball with 79% voting against the party holding a leadership convention. In the 2019 provincial election, despite consistent Progressive Conservative leads in polling through the debate, including a 9 point lead in the final poll, released a day before the election,
1690-545: A mandate to continue his tough stance with Ottawa and renegotiate the Upper Churchill contract with Quebec. The Liberals, led by Len Stirling , disagreed with Peckford's aggressive stances and campaigned on a slogan of "Make Work Not War". On election night Peckford led his party to victory again, winning 61 percent of the vote and 44 of the 52 seats in the House of Assembly . Only eight Liberals were elected and Stirling
1820-547: A maritime border with Greenland . Labrador's land area (including associated small islands) is 294,330 km (113,640 sq mi). Together, Newfoundland and Labrador make up 4.06 per cent of Canada's area, with a total area of 405,720 km (156,650 sq mi). Labrador is the easternmost part of the Canadian Shield , a vast area of ancient metamorphic rock making up much of northeastern North America . Colliding tectonic plates have shaped much of
1950-517: A national existence, having a national character, a nation's feelings, assuming that rank among our neighbours which the political situation and the extent of our island demand". Brian Peckford Alfred Brian Peckford PC (born August 27, 1942) is a Canadian politician who served as the third premier of Newfoundland from March 26, 1979 to March 22, 1989. A member of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party , Peckford
2080-622: A processing facility on Newfoundland, but the deal allowed for them to ship nickel to other facilities for processing before that facility was built. In 2003, the federal government declared a moratorium on the last remaining cod fishery in Atlantic Canada in the Gulf of St. Lawrence . While Newfoundland and Labrador was again the most directly affected province by this decision, communities on Quebec's North Shore and in other parts of Atlantic Canada also faced difficulties. Grimes called for
2210-411: A range of climates and weather patterns, including frequent combinations of high winds, snow, rain, and fog, conditions that regularly made travel by road, air, or ferry challenging or impossible. Monthly average temperatures, rainfall levels, and snowfall levels for four locations are shown in the attached graphs. St. John's represents the east coast, Gander the interior of the island, Corner Brook
2340-603: A report to the federal Health minister. He is currently a director of Strongbow Exploration Inc., a public junior mining company. He has also been an advisor to the British Columbia Conservative Party , co-chairing the party's issues management committee. Peckford endorsed the People's Party led by Maxime Bernier in the 2021 Canadian federal election and Peckford appeared on Jordan Peterson 's podcast on January 26, 2022, where he claimed that
2470-572: A review of the Act of Union by which the province had become a part of Canada and on July 2, 2003, the findings of the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada (which Grimes had created in 2002) were released. Critics called this inquiry the "Blame Canada Commission". Grimes often clashed with the federal Liberal government of Jean Chrétien and became increasingly critical of his predecessor, Tobin. When Grimes accused
2600-513: A severe economic recession, the Wells administration introduced spending controls and reduced the size of the public service while at the same time maintaining social program spending and working to diversify and develop the economy. Wells rose to national prominence in early 1990 for his opposition to the Meech Lake constitutional Accord. In September 1990, Wells signed a development agreement for
2730-574: A strange land full of fish, and another from Portuguese maps that depict the Terra do Bacalhau , or land of codfish , west of the Azores . The earliest, though, is the Voyage of Saint Brendan , the fantastical account of an Irish monk who made a sea voyage in the early 6th century. While the story became a part of myth and legend, some historians believe it is based on fact. In 1496, John Cabot obtained
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#17327914362402860-584: Is Ikkarumikluak aamma Nunatsuak . Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is the French name used in the Constitution of Canada. However, French is not widely spoken in Newfoundland and Labrador and is not an official language at the provincial level. On April 29, 1999, the government of Brian Tobin passed a motion in the Newfoundland House of Assembly requesting the federal government amend
2990-650: Is also reflected in the name of Labrador, which derives from the surname of the Portuguese navigator João Fernandes Lavrador . Labrador's name in the Inuttitut / Inuktitut language (spoken in Nunatsiavut ) is Nunatsuak ( ᓄᓇᑦᓱᐊᒃ ), meaning "the big land" (a common English nickname for Labrador ). Newfoundland's Inuttitut/Inuktitut name is Ikkarumikluak ( ᐃᒃᑲᕈᒥᒃᓗᐊᒃ ), meaning "place of many shoals". Newfoundland and Labrador's Inuttitut / Inuktitut name
3120-589: Is also roughly triangular in shape: the western part of its border with Quebec is the drainage divide of the Labrador Peninsula . Lands drained by rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean are part of Labrador, and the rest belongs to Quebec. Most of Labrador's southern boundary with Quebec follows the 52nd parallel of latitude. Labrador's extreme northern tip, at 60°22′N, shares a short border with Nunavut on Killiniq Island . Labrador also has
3250-540: Is best known from a mortuary site in Newfoundland at Port au Choix . The Maritime Archaic peoples were gradually displaced by people of the Dorset culture (Late Paleo-Eskimo ) who also occupied Port au Choix. The number of their sites discovered on Newfoundland indicates they may have been the most numerous Aboriginal people to live there. They thrived from about 2000 BC to 800 AD. Many of their sites were on exposed headlands and outer islands. They were more oriented to
3380-594: Is particularly important for St. John's, where a heavy snowfall can be followed by rain, so no snow remains on the ground. Surface water temperatures on the Atlantic side reach a summer average of 12 °C (54 °F) inshore and 9 °C (48 °F) offshore to winter lows of −1 °C (30 °F) inshore and 2 °C (36 °F) offshore. Sea temperatures on the west coast are warmer than Atlantic side by 1–3 °C (approximately 2–5 °F). The sea keeps winter temperatures slightly higher and summer temperatures
3510-563: The Newfoundland Act to change the province's name to "Newfoundland and Labrador". A resolution approving the name change was put forward in the House of Commons in October 2001, introduced by Tobin who had moved to federal politics. Tobin's successor as premier Roger Grimes stated: "The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is firmly committed to ensuring official recognition of Labrador as an equal partner in this province, and
3640-548: The 1975 general election against the Liberals and the Tories. Due in part to massive vote-splitting, the Tories won 30 seats against 20 for the two Liberal factions combined (14 for the Liberals and 6 for the Reform Liberals). The Liberals were badly split and demoralized, and remained on the opposition benches until 1989. In the 1989 provincial election , the Liberals returned to power under Clyde Wells , winning 31 of
3770-493: The Atlantic Coast of North America from about 7000 BC to 1500 BC. Their settlements included longhouses and boat-topped temporary or seasonal houses. They engaged in long-distance trade, using as currency white chert , a rock quarried from northern Labrador to Maine . The southern branch of these people was established on the north peninsula of Newfoundland by 5,000 years ago. The Maritime Archaic period
3900-617: The Atlantic Ocean . The province also includes over 7,000 tiny islands. The highest point of the province is Mount Caubvick with the highest point on Newfoundland being Cabox . Newfoundland has a roughly triangular shape. Each side is about 400 km (250 mi) long, and its area is 108,860 km (42,030 sq mi). Newfoundland and its neighbouring small islands (excluding French possessions) have an area of 111,390 km (43,010 sq mi). Newfoundland extends between latitudes 46°36′N and 51°38′N. Labrador
4030-793: The Corte-Real brothers , Miguel and Gaspar , explored Newfoundland and Labrador, claiming them as part of the Portuguese Empire . In 1506, king Manuel I of Portugal created taxes for the cod fisheries in Newfoundland waters. João Álvares Fagundes and Pero de Barcelos established seasonal fishing outposts in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia around 1521, and older Portuguese settlements may have existed. Sir Humphrey Gilbert , provided with letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I , landed in St. John's in August 1583, and formally took possession of
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4160-733: The Grand Banks , employing some 10,000 sailors; many continuing to come from the Basque Country , Normandy, or Brittany. They dried and salted cod on the coast and sold it to Spain and Portugal. Heavy investment by Sir George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore , in the 1620s in wharves, warehouses, and fishing stations failed to pay off. French raids hurt the business, and the weather was terrible, so he redirected his attention to his other colony in Maryland . After Calvert left, small-scale entrepreneurs such as Sir David Kirke made good use of
4290-677: The Great Depression and Newfoundland's participation in the First World War . On March 31, 1949, it became the 10th and most recent province to join the Canadian Confederation as "Newfoundland". On December 6, 2001, the Constitution of Canada was amended to change the province's name from "Newfoundland" to "Newfoundland and Labrador". The name "New founde lande" was uttered by King Henry VII about
4420-459: The NL NDP won 8 percent of the vote but no seats. Resource management dominated Peckford's ten years as Premier of Newfoundland, particularly offshore oil , the fisheries, and hydroelectric developments. In all three areas, Peckford hoped to wrestle control from outside interests to secure greater revenues for the province. He argued this would end Newfoundland's status as the poorest province in
4550-679: The Newfoundland Confederate Association . At this time, Newfoundland was being governed by a Commission of Government appointed by the Government of the United Kingdom . The NCA was an organization campaigning for Newfoundland to join Canadian confederation . Joey Smallwood was the NCA's chief organizer and spokesman, and led the winning side of the 1948 Newfoundland referendum on Confederation. Following
4680-554: The Trans-Labrador Highway . In 1987 the Peckford government partnered with Phillip Sprung to construct a hydroponic greenhouse complex on the St. John's- Mount Pearl border. While the greenhouses were supposed to create jobs, tap into a profitable export market, and supply local consumers with fresh and affordable vegetables year-round, they ended up being an economic disaster. The government poured $ 22 million into
4810-480: The Upper Churchill Falls hydroelectric deal . While Peckford was able to negotiate an agreement with oil companies over drilling in the continental shelf , the province was engaged in ownership dispute with the federal Liberal government over offshore petroleum resources. This dispute was settled after Peckford became premier. On January 19, 1979, Moores announced he was stepping down as premier of
4940-659: The federal Liberals under Justin Trudeau . Furey himself indicated that there was no plan to further separate the parties, which he said already operate as distinct entities. On January 30, 2024, Liberal Fred Hutton won the by-election. On April 15, 2024, the Fogo Island-Cape Freels by-election was held. Progressive Conservative candidate Jim McKenna was elected, gaining the seat from the Liberals. On May 27, 2024, Progressive Conservative candidate Lin Paddock
5070-589: The 1690s, destroyed nearly every English settlement on the island. The entire population of the English colony was either killed, captured for ransom, or sentenced to expulsion to England, with the exception of those who withstood the attack at Carbonear Island and those in the then remote Bonavista . After France lost political control of the area after the Siege of Port Royal in 1710 , the Miꞌkmaq engaged in warfare with
5200-577: The 2007 general election, the party decided that Jones would stand as the party's leader on an interim basis, and therefore as the Official Opposition Leader in the House of Assembly. Jones became the first woman to serve as the leader of the Liberals and only the second woman to serve as Official Opposition Leader. Seven by-elections have been held since Jones took over the leadership of the Liberal Party, each one to replace
5330-418: The 50 per cent required to be elected leader. Dicks was thus eliminated after finishing third and immediately threw his support behind Efford, hoping to defeat Grimes who had finished first on the ballot. Dicks' support was not enough and on the second ballot Grimes was elected leader; defeating Efford by 14 votes. The three-month race had included nasty and personal attacks between the candidates, and when Grimes
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador - Misplaced Pages Continue
5460-436: The 500th year since John Cabot 's voyage of discovery (1997), as well as the 1000th year since Vikings , such as Leif Ericson , made landfall on the province's shores (2000). Tobin returned to federal politics in 2000, after only four years as Premier. Less than two years into his second mandate, Tobin announced his resignation as premier on October 16, 2000, to return to federal politics. Tobin's Deputy Premier Beaton Tulk
5590-669: The 52 seats in the House of Assembly. Despite their majority win the Progressive Conservatives narrowly won the popular vote, winning 47.6% of the vote compared to 47.2 for the Liberals. Under Wells, the Liberal government eschewed the megaprojects and spending of the Smallwood, Moores and Peckford eras in favour of an economic development program laid out in the Strategic Economic Plan. During
5720-569: The Beothuk population, and they were extinct by 1829. The oldest confirmed accounts of European contact date from a thousand years ago as described in the Viking (Norse) Icelandic Sagas . Around the year 1001, the sagas refer to Leif Erikson landing in three places to the west, the first two being Helluland (possibly Baffin Island ) and Markland (possibly Labrador ). Leif's third landing
5850-682: The British throughout Dummer's War (1722–1725), King George's War (1744–1748), Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755) and the French and Indian War (1754–1763). The French colonization period lasted until the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, which ended the War of the Spanish Succession : France ceded to the British its claims to Newfoundland (including its claims to the shores of Hudson Bay ) and to
5980-894: The Calvert family's control. The majority Catholic population that developed, thanks to Irish immigration , in St. John's and the Avalon Peninsula , was subjected to same disabilities that applied elsewhere under the British Crown. On visiting St. John's in 1786, Prince William Henry (the future King William IV ) noted that "there are ten Roman Catholics to one Protestant", and he counselled against any measure of Catholic relief. Following news of rebellion in Ireland , in June 1798, Governor Vice-Admiral Waldegrave cautioned London that
6110-624: The Colonies formally stated that a new commission would be issued to Governor Cochrane to remove any and all Roman Catholic disabilities in Newfoundland. By then Catholic emancipation was bound up (as in Ireland) with the call for home rule . After the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, France and other nations re-entered the fish trade and an abundance of cod glutted international markets. Prices dropped, competition increased, and
6240-585: The Department of Business with the Department of Innovation, Trade, and Rural Development, establish a fisheries investment and diversification fund, creation of a fisheries loan board, initiate a judicial inquiry dealing with management of the fishery and operating a marine rescue subcentre in the province. The party was unable to gain momentum under Aylward's leadership, after tying the NDP in opinion polls in May 2011,
6370-540: The English constituted but a "small proportion" of the locally raised Regiment of Foot . In an echo of an earlier Irish conspiracy during the French occupation of St. John's in 1762, in April 1800, the authorities had reports that upwards of 400 men had taken an oath as United Irishmen , and that eighty soldiers were committed to killing their officers and seizing their Anglican governors at Sunday service. The abortive mutiny , for which for which eight men (denounced by Catholic Bishop James Louis O'Donel as "favourers of
6500-424: The French had seized three months earlier in a surprise attack. From 1763 to 1767, James Cook made a detailed survey of the coasts of Newfoundland and southern Labrador while commander of HMS Grenville . (The following year, 1768, Cook began his first circumnavigation of the world .) In 1796, a Franco-Spanish expedition again succeeded in raiding the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, destroying many of
6630-421: The French possessions in Acadia . Afterward, under the supervision of the last French governor, the French population of Plaisance moved to Île Royale (now Cape Breton Island ), part of Acadia which remained then under French control. In the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), France had acknowledged British ownership of the island. However, in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), control of Newfoundland once again became
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#17327914362406760-608: The Hibernia project, thereby laying the foundation for the province's oil and gas industry and future economic prosperity. When Wells retired in 1996, he was replaced by former federal Liberal cabinet minister Brian Tobin . In 1996, Tobin resigned from federal politics to succeed Clyde Wells as leader of the governing Liberal Party of Newfoundland and premier. The Liberal Party won a large majority government later that year. During his time as premier Tobin pursued tough negotiations with out-of-province companies seeking to export resources for refining and smelting elsewhere. He insisted that
6890-429: The Liberal Party led by Ball won re-election, but nonetheless fell one seat short of retaining their majority after an unexpected loss to the New Democrats in Labrador West by 5 votes (later lowered to 2 votes). The Liberals won 20 out of 40 seats in the legislature. Andrew Furey was elected leader on August 3, 2020. He was appointed as Premier on August 19, 2020, following Ball's resignation. On August 19, 2020, Furey
7020-409: The Liberal caucus. Beginning in December 2023, ahead of a by-election for Conception Bay East–Bell Island expected in early 2024, campaign signs identified the party primarily using a "Furey" logotype, with a reference to "Newfoundland and Labrador Liberals" in smaller print . Political analysts suggested the change was made due to Furey's personal popularity combined with dropping poll numbers for
7150-457: The Liberals fell to third place in polling during the election campaign. On election night the Progressive Conservatives won their third straight majority government. The Liberals placed third in the popular vote on election night, winning just 19.1 per cent of the vote. However, they managed to increase their number of seats to six and remain the Official Opposition. On October 26, 2011, Aylward announced his resignation as leader after failing to win
7280-436: The Liberals had spent fourteen years in power under four different leaders. Public disaffection had mounted resulting in their electoral defeat by Danny Williams and the Tories. Grimes stayed on as Liberal leader until his retirement on May 30, 2005, when he was replaced, initially on an interim basis, by Gerry Reid . Lawyer Jim Bennett was acclaimed party leader on February 6, 2006, after no other candidate came forward for
7410-457: The Lower Churchill River , but could not secure a transmission route through Quebec into lucrative American and Canadian markets. Although the fisheries remained vital to the economy of rural Newfoundland, they fell under federal jurisdiction. Ottawa determined fish quotas, distributed trawler licenses, and set all other aspects of fisheries policy. During the 1980 constitutional negotiations Peckford tried to acquire greater provincial control of
7540-429: The Royal Gazette and Newfoundland Advertiser, who resided in New Brunswick and Newfoundland, freed his enslaved servant Dinah, upon his death in Newfoundland in 1847, notably after the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833 . Notably, the Kirke brothers who were merchants in the triangular trade, brought Olivier Le Jeune to New France, where he was sold in 1629. In 1655, France appointed a governor in Plaisance (Placentia),
7670-460: The United Kingdom recognise Bonavista as being Cabot's "official" landing place. In 1499 and 1500, Portuguese mariners João Fernandes Lavrador and Pero de Barcelos explored and mapped the coast, the former's name appearing as "Labrador" on topographical maps of the period. Based on the Treaty of Tordesillas , the Portuguese Crown claimed it had territorial rights in the area John Cabot visited in 1497 and 1498. Subsequently, in 1501 and 1502,
7800-403: The board of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the 1990s. He relocated to British Columbia in the early 1990s and in 1998 was appointed to lead a one-person inquiry into the state of Fraser River salmon stocks and fishery management. In 2008, he was appointed chair of a federal government–appointed expert panel to review federal chronic disease policy, especially diabetes, and to present
7930-454: The capital city. The Progressive Conservatives won 49 per cent of the popular vote on election night, compared to 37 percent for the Liberals and 14 percent for the NDP. Although resource development dominated Peckford's time as premier his government is responsible for a number of things that have shaped Newfoundland and Labrador. After his party was re-elected in 1979 Peckford appointed Lynn Verge and Hazel Newhook to cabinet, they became
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#17327914362408060-399: The close of nominations at the end of the month she was the only candidate to file nomination papers and was acclaimed leader. Jones announced weeks later she had breast cancer and the leadership election was postponed till May 2011. On May 25, 2011, she was sworn in as the permanent leader of the party. On August 9, 2011, Jones resigned as leader due to her health. That night the executive of
8190-492: The coast of Labrador with Inuit groups that had large populations. The Miꞌkmaq of southern Newfoundland spent most of their time on the shores harvesting seafood; during the winter they would move inland to the woods to hunt. Over time, the Miꞌkmaq and Innu divided their lands into traditional "districts". Each district was independently governed and had a district chief and a council. The council members were band chiefs, elders and other worthy community leaders. In addition to
8320-404: The coast. These rights were reaffirmed by treaties in 1818, 1854 and 1871, and confirmed by arbitration in 1910. The founding proprietor of the Province of Avalon , George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore , intended that it should serve as a refuge for his persecuted Roman Catholic co-religionists. But like his other colony in the Province of Maryland on the American mainland, it soon passed out of
8450-563: The colony's profits evaporated. A string of harsh winters between 1815 and 1817 made living conditions even more difficult, while fires at St. John's in 1817 left thousands homeless. At the same time a new wave of immigration from Ireland increased the Catholic population. In these circumstances much of the English and Protestant proprietor class tended to shelter behind the appointed, and Anglican, "naval government". A broad home-rule coalition of Irish community leaders and ( Scottish and Welsh ) Methodists formed in 1828. Expressing, initially,
8580-516: The concerns of a new middle class over taxation, it was led by William Carson, a Scottish physician, and Patrick Morris, an Irish merchant. In 1825, the British government granted Newfoundland and Labrador official colonial status and appointed Sir Thomas Cochrane as its first civil governor. Partly carried by the wave of reform in Britain, a colonial legislature in St. John's, together with the promise of Catholic emancipation, followed in 1832. Carson made his goal for Newfoundland clear: "We shall rise into
8710-431: The construction of factories, the pulp and paper industry, the oil industry, hydro-electricity projects, the construction of highways and schools, the relocation of rural villages into larger centres, and other projects. These projects were often very expensive, and yielded few results. Smallwood led the province virtually unchallenged for two decades, during which he never faced more than eight opposition MHAs. However, by
8840-452: The country. His government tried to renegotiate the Upper Churchill contract with Hydro Quebec , which had been signed by Premier Joey Smallwood in 1969. The deal sold cheap power to Hydro Quebec for 65 years with no allowances for inflation or revision. The province launched two legal battles over the deal but the Supreme Court of Canada ruled twice in Quebec 's favour, in 1984 and 1988. The Peckford government sought to develop power on
8970-422: The dispute was sent to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1982. The Peckford and Trudeau governments were that far apart on their views that Peckford hinted that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians might take a more radical stance, similar to the Quebec separatists , if the courts ruled against them. During his heated dispute with the federal government Peckford called an election for April 6, 1982, hoping to regain
9100-588: The district councils, the Miꞌkmaq tribes also developed a Grand Council or Santé Mawiómi , which according to oral tradition was formed before 1600. By the time European contact with Newfoundland began in the early 16th century, the Beothuk were the only indigenous group living permanently on the island. Unlike other groups in the Northeastern area of the Americas, the Beothuk never established sustained trading relations with European settlers. Their interactions were sporadic, and they largely attempted to avoid contact. The establishment of English fishing operations on
9230-429: The district of St. George's-Stephenville East in the election. In December 2011, the party announced that Humber Valley MHA Dwight Ball would assume the role as Leader of the Official Opposition and interim leader of the Liberal Party on January 3, 2012. The Party announced in May 2012, that their next leadership election will occur between November 15 and 17, 2013. On July 18, 2013 Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce
9360-538: The district of Green Bay in the 1972 provincial election. The PC Party won a majority government in the election and Peckford was narrowly elected in his district over the Liberal candidate. In 1973 he was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Premier Frank Moores and the following year he was sworn into cabinet as the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. In the 1975 general election Peckford won 70 percent of
9490-620: The dogs, larger weapons and other technologies that gave the expanding Inuit an advantage. The inhabitants eventually organized themselves into small bands of a few families, grouped into larger tribes and chieftainships . The Innu are the inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , i.e. most of what is now referred to as northeastern Quebec and Labrador. Their subsistence activities were historically centered on hunting and trapping caribou , deer and small game. Coastal clans also practiced agriculture, fished and managed maple sugar bush. The Innu engaged in tribal warfare along
9620-547: The election he was hounded by teachers and public service employees who were upset with the two year government-imposed wage freeze. Fraser March, the president of the Newfoundland Public Employees Association, had pledged to campaign against "every Tory in the province". A poll released just days before the vote showed the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals were tied at 41.5 percent outside St. John's , while Peckford's Tories led in
9750-506: The election in 2015 and some Tory MHAs crossed the floor to the Liberal Party including former cabinet minister Tom Osborne . In the months ahead of the election in 2015 the Liberals lead in the polls, often with support from the majority of respondents. The party won 31 of 40 seats in the election. Since the election support for the Liberal Party has dropped significantly. This started in April 2016 when Finance Minister Cathy Bennett unveiled
9880-419: The election was called. Prior to Moores' resignation an opinion poll showed the Liberals leading the Progressive Conservatives; no formal polls were conducted during the election campaign. On election day Peckford led his party to its third straight majority government, they won 50 percent of the popular vote and 33 of the 52 seats in the House of Assembly . The Liberals won 41 percent of the vote and 19 seats,
10010-589: The enslaved persons of African descent on plantations in the West Indies . Products typically associated with Newfoundland such as molasses and rum ( Screech ), were produced by the enslaved persons of African descent on plantations in the West Indies, and shipped to Newfoundland and England on merchant ships. Some merchants in Newfoundland enslaved persons of African descent such as St. John's merchant, Thomas Oxford. John Ryan , merchant and publisher of
10140-454: The ensuing leadership contest. Smallwood defeated John Crosbie , one of the younger ministers, for the leadership. Crosbie along with many young Liberals defected to the opposition Progressive Conservatives . The Progressive Conservatives had previously found support largely in the business community, and in and around St. John's . The Liberals narrowly lost the 1971 election , but Smallwood refused to resign as Premier until January 1972 as
10270-405: The facilities. Kirke became the first governor of Newfoundland in 1638. A triangular trade with New England, the West Indies, and Europe gave Newfoundland an important economic role. By the 1670s, there were 1,700 permanent residents and another 4,500 in the summer months. This trade relied upon the labour of enslaved people of African descent. Salted cod from Newfoundland was used to feed
10400-410: The federal government announced a cod moratorium , which is still in effect in 2012. After securing deals with oil companies regarding offshore exploration, he battled with Ottawa over ownership of the oil. The Peckford government had tried to negotiate an agreement with Pierre Trudeau 's Liberal government over ownership, but were unsuccessful. With the two governments unable to come to an agreement
10530-535: The federal government of bias in the Gulf of St. Lawrence cod moratorium, many even in Newfoundland and Labrador saw him as stirring up unnecessary trouble for political gain. After the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada, Grimes' popularity began to decline as his increasingly confrontational approach made it more difficult to win concessions from the federal government. By 2003,
10660-459: The federal government owned the right to develop minerals on the continental shelf off Canada's coast. Peckford shifted his efforts to gaining joint management and most of the revenues from offshore oil resources and embarked on a cross-Canada tour to drum up support for the province's position. In the September 4, 1984, federal election Brian Mulroney 's Progressive Conservative Party won
10790-473: The first settlement at Cuper's Cove . Other settlements included Bristol's Hope , Renews , New Cambriol , South Falkland and Avalon (which became a province in 1623). The first governor given jurisdiction over all of Newfoundland was Sir David Kirke in 1638. Explorers quickly realized the waters around Newfoundland had the best fishing in the North Atlantic. By 1620, 300 fishing boats worked
10920-441: The first women to serve as Cabinet ministers in the province. Peckford also brought in the first pay equity policy, established the first Status of Women Council, and in 1983 appointed Margaret Cameron as the province's first woman Supreme Court justice. In 1980 the new provincial flag , his government is responsible for the Department of Environment, they brought in grade 12 to the high school curriculum, and started construction on
11050-567: The fisheries, but was unable to get enough support from other premiers. Peckford argued the province had a historic and moral right to the fisheries and the government did its best to influence federal fisheries policy. When the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued licenses to three factory freezer trawlers in 1985, he declared it "a disaster of monumental proportions". Overfishing continued to be an issue, and decisions made by Peckford's own administration did not help matters. Just three years after he left office cod stocks collapsed and
11180-476: The former Basque fishing settlement, thus starting a formal French colonization period in Newfoundland as well as a period of periodic war and unrest between England and France in the region. The Miꞌkmaq, as allies of the French, were amenable to limited French settlement in their midst and fought alongside them against the English. English attacks on Placentia provoked retaliation by New France explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville who during King William's War in
11310-551: The geology of Newfoundland. Gros Morne National Park has a reputation as an outstanding example of tectonics at work, and as such has been designated a World Heritage Site . The Long Range Mountains on Newfoundland's west coast are the northeasternmost extension of the Appalachian Mountains . The north-south extent of the province (46°36′N to 60°22′N), prevalent westerly winds, cold ocean currents and local factors such as mountains and coastline combine to create
11440-603: The government's budget. Due to the ongoing fall in oil prices and high public debt due to overspending by the Tories under Williams and Dunderdale, the province faced a massive deficit and thus, the Liberal government planned tax increases and cuts to government services including the closure of libraries and courthouses. Combined with the mismanagement of the Lower Churchill Project and Nalcor Energy , this led to Ball being one of Canada's least popular heads of government only seven months after being elected with
11570-702: The infidel French") were hanged, may have been less a United Irish plot, than an act of desperation in the face of brutal living conditions and officer tyranny. Many of the Irish reserve soldiers were forced to remain on duty, unable to return to the fisheries that supported their families. Yet the Newfoundland Irish would have been aware of the agitation in the homeland for civil equality and political rights. There were reports of communication with United men in Ireland from before '98 rebellion; of Thomas Paine 's pamphlets circulating in St. John's; and, despite
11700-418: The island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador , having a total size of 405,212 km (156,453 sq mi). As of 2024 the population of Newfoundland and Labrador was estimated to be 545,247. The island of Newfoundland (and its smaller neighbouring islands) is home to around 94 per cent of the province's population, with more than half residing in the Avalon Peninsula . Labrador has
11830-531: The island. Sometime before 1563, Basque fishermen, who had been fishing cod shoals off Newfoundland's coasts since the beginning of the sixteenth century, founded Plaisance (today Placentia ), a seasonal haven which French fishermen later used. In the Newfoundland will of the Basque seaman Domingo de Luca, dated 1563 and now in an archive in Spain, he asks "that my body be buried in this port of Plazençia in
11960-399: The land explored by Sebastian and John Cabot . In Portuguese , it is Terra Nova (while the province's full name is Terra Nova e Labrador ), which literally means "new land" and is also the French name for the province's island region ( Terre-Neuve ). The name "Terra Nova" is in wide use on the island (e.g. Terra Nova National Park ). The influence of early Portuguese exploration
12090-480: The late 1960s, disaffection with Smallwood and his government mounted within the province. He had always had a somewhat autocratic bent, a tendency that increased during the 1960s. He tended to treat his ministers as extensions of his authority rather than colleagues. In hopes of stemming the tide, Smallwood brought several younger Liberals into government during this time, but this did little to rebuild his popularity. He announced his retirement in 1969, only to run in
12220-475: The leadership; he attempted to reinvigorate the party by distancing himself from Tobin. A major priority for Grimes as premier was to re-open talks with the mining company Inco Ltd., who had proposed to build a nickel mine in northern Labrador. Talks had stalled under Tobin, who insisted the nickel from Labrador must be processed in the province. On June 11, 2002, Grimes' government reached a deal with Inco, six years after negotiations first began. Inco agreed to build
12350-584: The management of offshore developments through the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board. The Accord was widely hailed as a success for the Peckford government and a turning point for the provincial economy. Weeks after signing the Atlantic Accord, Peckford announced that an election would be held on April 2, 1985. He self-proclaimed himself the "Great Negotiator" for the Atlantic Accord but during
12480-481: The most cabinet and caucus support. At the convention he led on the first two ballots and was elected leader over Carter and Doody on the third and final ballot. At 36 years of age Peckford became the youngest first minister in Newfoundland's history and one of the few members of the political elite from a working-class outport background. Liberal leader Bill Rowe challenged Peckford to call an election immediately. He instead waited several months, first bringing down
12610-624: The most recent cultural manifestation of peoples who first migrated from Labrador to Newfoundland around 1 AD. The Inuit , found mostly in Labrador, are the descendants of what anthropologists call the Thule people , who emerged from western Alaska around 1000 AD and spread eastwards across the High Arctic tundra reaching Labrador around 1300–1500. Researchers believe the Dorset culture lacked
12740-462: The outer coastline of the island, and their later expansion into bays and inlets, cut off access for the Beothuk to their traditional sources of food. In the 18th century, as the Beothuk were driven further inland by these encroachments, violence between Beothuk and settlers escalated, with each retaliating against the other in their competition for resources. By the early 19th century, violence, starvation, and exposure to tuberculosis had decimated
12870-720: The party decided the process of choosing the next leader, nominations for the leadership opened on August 10, 2011, and Kevin Aylward was chosen by the executive on August 14, 2011. Aylward led the party during the October 11, 2011, election . The campaigned on a platform that advocated for the creation of a legacy fund for offshore oil revenues, a new deal to develop the Lower Churchill hydroelectric development, annual increase to retired public service pensions, improve high-speed internet and cellphone service in rural areas, merge
13000-603: The place where those who die here are usually buried". This will is the oldest-known civil document written in Canada. Twenty years later, in 1583, Newfoundland became England's first possession in North America and one of the earliest permanent English colonies in the New World when Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed it for Elizabeth I . European fishing boats had visited Newfoundland continuously since Cabot's second voyage in 1498 and seasonal fishing camps had existed for
13130-489: The popular vote in his district, defeating the Liberal and New Democratic Party candidates. The PC Party won its second majority government under the leadership of Moores and Peckford remained the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The following year Moores shuffled his cabinet and Peckford was appointed Minister of Mines and Energy; and Rural and Northern Development. Peckford was appointed Minister of Mines and Energy on September 9, 1976, replacing John Crosbie who
13260-414: The population is descended from English and Irish settlers, with the majority immigrating from the early 17th century to the late 19th century. St. John's , the capital and largest city of Newfoundland and Labrador, is Canada's 22nd-largest census metropolitan area and home to about 40% of the province's population. St. John's is the seat of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador as well as
13390-441: The position. Reid then resumed the leadership, now on a permanent basis, and lead the party into the next election. In the October 2007 provincial election , the Liberal Party's support fell to its lowest level since Confederation. The party won just three of the 48 seats in the House of Assembly. Reid resigned as leader after losing his seat, and Yvonne Jones was named interim leader. With only three members re-elected following
13520-421: The post. Bennett's leadership started causing rifts within the Liberal caucus after controversial policies statements and his reported abrasive leadership style. In April of that year Bennett was criticized by Reid, who was still serving as Opposition Leader, over his proposal to create a two-tier minimum wage based on age. On May 8, 2006, Bennett resigned as Liberal leader, just three months after being acclaimed to
13650-568: The project and it went bankrupt only two years later. The credibility of Peckford and the Progressive Conservatives had been hurt by the project. On January 21, 1989, he announced he was leaving politics, Tom Rideout was chosen as his successor in March, and the PC Party was defeated in the provincial election the following month by the Liberals. Peckford became a business consultant and has sat on numerous boards since leaving politics including
13780-424: The province and leaving politics. Even before announcing his leadership bid Peckford was mentioned as a likely frontrunner to succeed Moores. Ten people ran for the leadership of the party at its March 17, 1979, convention. Out of those ten, Peckford, Leo Barry , Walter Carter and William Doody were seen as the likelier candidates. Peckford was still considered by some media as the frontrunner and had racked up
13910-673: The province's highest court, the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal . Until 1949, the Dominion of Newfoundland was a separate dominion in the British Empire. In 1933, the House of Assembly of the self-governing dominion voted to dissolve itself and to hand over administration of Newfoundland and Labrador to the British-appointed Commission of Government . This followed the suffering caused by
14040-417: The province's term. One of the terms arranged was that oil companies would be responsible for paying the cost of training local people to work in the industry. The companies had the choice of spending the money themselves on training and researching or paying it into the provincial treasury. Peckford said he pushed for these terms with oil companies after seeing resource give aways in the mining sector as well as
14170-406: The referendum victory, the NCA reorganized itself as the new province's Liberal Party under Smallwood's leadership. It won the province's first post-Confederation election for the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly held on May 27, 1949. The Liberals under Smallwood promoted the diversification of the province's economy through various megaprojects . The provincial government invested in
14300-579: The resources will never be mined unless Newfoundlanders received secondary manufacturing and tertiary service spin-offs. A similar tough stance was taken in seeking to develop the Lower Churchill River , keeping in mind the contract his predecessor Joey Smallwood had negotiated. His Liberals won re-election in 1999 . It was also during this time in the lead-up to the millennium that Newfoundland undertook an aggressive tourism marketing campaign which focused on important anniversaries such as
14430-414: The sea than earlier peoples, and had developed sleds and boats similar to kayaks . They burned seal blubber in soapstone lamps. Many of these sites, such as Port au Choix , recently excavated by Memorial archaeologist, Priscilla Renouf, are quite large and show evidence of a long-term commitment to place. Renouf has excavated huge amounts of harp seal bones at Port au Choix, indicating that this place
14560-521: The settlements. By the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), French fishermen gained the right to land and cure fish on the "French Shore" on the western coast. (They had a permanent base on the nearby St. Pierre and Miquelon islands; the French gave up their French Shore rights in 1904.) In 1783, the British signed the Treaty of Paris with the United States that gave American fishermen similar rights along
14690-512: The support of the Labrador Party 's lone MHA resulted in a 21–21 tie in the House of Assembly for Smallwood's government. Frank Moores ' Conservatives attempted to form government but its shaky hold on power resulted in the 1972 general election . This time, Smallwood's Liberals were conclusively defeated, falling to only nine seats. Smallwood was forced out of the party, and formed his own Newfoundland Reform Liberal Party , which ran in
14820-417: The various climates of the province. Newfoundland, in broad terms, has a cool summer subtype, with a humid continental climate attributable to its proximity to water — no part of the island is more than 100 km (62 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean . However, Northern Labrador is classified as a polar tundra climate, and southern Labrador has a subarctic climate . Newfoundland and Labrador contain
14950-530: The war with France, of hundreds of young County Waterford men still making a seasonal migration to the island for the fisheries, among them defeated rebels, said to have "added fuel to the fire" of local grievance. When news reached Newfoundland in May 1829 that the UK Parliament had finally conceded Catholic emancipation , the locals assumed that Catholics would now pass unhindered into the ranks of public office and enjoy equality with Protestants. There
15080-416: The west coast of the island and Wabush the interior of Labrador. Climate data for 56 places in the province is available from Environment Canada . The data for the graphs is the average over 30 years. Error bars on the temperature graph indicate the range of daytime highs and night time lows. Snowfall is the total amount that fell during the month, not the amount accumulated on the ground. This distinction
15210-551: Was a celebratory parade and mass in St. John's, and a gun salute from vessels in the harbour. But the attorney general and supreme court justices determined that as Newfoundland was a colony, and not a province of the United Kingdom , the Roman Catholic Relief Act did not apply. The discrimination was a matter of local ordinance. It was not until May 1832 that the British Secretary of State for
15340-538: Was a prime location for the hunting of these animals. The people of the Dorset culture (800 BC – 1500 AD) were highly adapted to a cold climate, and much of their food came from hunting sea mammals through holes in the ice. The massive decline in sea ice during the Medieval Warm Period would have had a devastating effect upon their way of life. The appearance of the Beothuk culture is believed to be
15470-534: Was announced as the leader he received boos from Efford's supporters. Grimes was sworn in as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador on February 13, 2001. While Efford had called for the party to unite behind Grimes at the leadership convention, Dicks left politics immediately while Efford turned down a cabinet post and resigned in May of that year to enter federal politics. Grimes served as the province's eighth premier, from February 13, 2001 until November 6, 2003. The Liberals had been in power for 12 years when Grimes won
15600-469: Was at a place he called Vinland (possibly Newfoundland). Archaeological evidence of a Norse settlement was found in L'Anse aux Meadows , Newfoundland , which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. There are several other unconfirmed accounts of European discovery and exploration, one tale of men from the Channel Islands being blown off course in the late 15th century into
15730-429: Was considered to be the candidate of the party establishment, he had a low-profile with a proven track record in several difficult portfolios. Efford on the other hand was a charismatic, populist politician whose outspokenness has caused some controversy. Efford's outspokenness alienated members of the establishment but won him the support of the party's grassroots. After the first ballot at the convention no candidate won
15860-475: Was defeated in his own riding of Bonavista North . During his election victory speech Peckford stated that "I am more convinced than I have any time in the past that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians speak [with] one voice when we all say one day the sun will shine and have-not will be no more", words that went on to become a household phrase in the province. In March 1984 the Supreme Court ruled that
15990-587: Was elected in the Baie Verte-Green Bay by-election , gaining the seat from the Liberals. On August 22, 2024, the Waterford Valley by-election was held electing Liberal Jamie Korab . Smallwood, Wells, Tobin, Tulk, Grimes, Ball, and Furey have been both leader and Premier. Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada , in the country's Atlantic region . The province comprises
16120-599: Was first elected as the Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Green Bay following the 1972 general election . He served as a cabinet minister in Frank Moores ' government before he was elected as PC leader in 1979 following Moores' retirement. Alfred Brian Peckford was born in Whitbourne , Newfoundland on August 27, 1942, and was raised in the communities of Whitbourne, Marystown , and Lewisporte . He earned
16250-480: Was formally sworn in as Premier, along with his provincial cabinet. On October 6, 2020, Furey won a by-election in Humber-Gros Morne; this gained him a seat in the legislature. On January 15, 2021, Furey asked for consent from Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to dissolve the House of Assembly to call for an election in order to obtain a stronger mandate in the form of a majority government . The election
16380-562: Was leaving provincial politics to run federally. The offshore oil industry was seen as a bright spot in the economic outlook for the province. As the minister responsible Peckford fought hard for provincial control over the emerging industry. Oil companies suspended offshore drilling in 1977 in protest, but after some compromises were made the oil companies eventually accepted the Newfoundland terms, which aimed to maximize local economic benefits and minimize social and environmental disruption. Oil companies would start drilling once again in 1978 under
16510-534: Was mostly focused on Premier Williams' plan to make cuts to rural health care in this area. He announced days before the by-election he would not make cuts to the district's rural health care after protests from residents. A leadership convention was scheduled for the spring of 2008, but due to lack of interest in the leadership the convention was delayed. The convention was rescheduled for November 2010 with nominations closing on July 30, 2010. On July 9, 2010, Yvonne Jones officially submitted nomination papers, and with
16640-481: Was named Leader of the Opposition replacing Dwight Ball who resigned to run for the leadership permanently in the 2013 convention. In the 2015 general election , the Tories lost their majority to the Liberals making their government the shortest in the province's history since joining Canada (it lasted from 2003 to 2015, 12 years). The party won every by-election in the years between the 2011 general election and
16770-494: Was originally scheduled for February 15, 2021 but a COVID-19 outbreak in St. John's forced Elections NL to switch to a mail-in election , cancelling in-person voting for all districts. The deadline was set on March 25, 2021 and the results were announced on March 27, 2021 with the Furey government winning a majority government. On September 12, 2022, Premier Furey announced that Independent MHA Perry Trimper would be rejoining
16900-525: Was sworn in as his successor the same day and served as premier till a leadership convention could be held the new year. Minister of Health Roger Grimes , Fisheries Minister John Efford and Mines and Energy Minister Paul Dicks all announced their intentions to contest the February 2001 leadership race. Grimes and Efford were the perceived frontrunners in the leadership race and were considered to be very different candidates with different strengths. Grimes
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