Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada's westernmost province. The island of Newfoundland was location of the European settlers in what is now Canada, and it was the last province to join the Confederation.

Norse explorers tried settling Newfoundland and Labrador in the 1000s.

Unofficial fishing settlements began dotting Newfoundland's outports in the late 1500s. In the 1600s Newfoundland had multiple small British colonies in its east, and small French settlements in its west. Many communities in the west, like Port aux Basque, have French names, from this period.

France gave up all its settlements in and around Newfoundland in the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, with the exception of the Islands of St Pierre and Michelon.

Newfoundland representatives joined with representatives of the other provinces in British North America, to discuss joining, and forming the Dominion of Canada. Newfoundland did not join. Like Canada, and Australia, the transition from colony, to fully indepedent country was gradual, but Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion until February 13, 1934. Approximately 12,000 Newfoundlanders volunteered to fight with Britain, during World War One -- 35 percent of the adult male population. Like the other Dominions units of Newfoundlanders served together, under the overall command of British Generals.

So many Newfoundlanders died, or came home with crippling wounds, that there was a terrible labor shortage, which lead the economic collapse that required Newfoundland to return to being a colony, administered from London.

Generals were very reckless of the lives of their troops, and regularly ordered frontal assaults that resulted in massive casualties. One particular deadly frontal assault, on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, inflicted terrible losses on the First Newfoundland Regiment. Of the 800 men in the regiment only 68 men were able to muster for roll call the next morning. The overall casualty rate for

In 1949 Newfoundlanders voted in a referendum, with three choices. (1) status quo -- continue being governed from London; (2) confederation with Canada; (3) responsible government -- ie return to being an independent Dominion. Newfoundlanders chose confederation.

Transportation and industry

For centuries the only real industry in Newfoundland was fishing. Newfoundland's waters are where the nutrient rich cold Arctic Labrador current mixes with the warm Gulf Stream. All the places on Planet Earth where cold nutrient rish waters mix with warm tropical waters are rich in the microscopic life fish rely on, and were rich in fish. For well into the 20th century Newfoundlanders went out in the rugged rowing boats they called dories, and fished the waters within rowing distance of their outports.

Outports were the small communities were most Newfoundlanders lived. Until the late 20th Century almost none of these communities were linked by roads. All outside supplies came from the sea. Cod was the fish sought. The cod stocks remained abund