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Newfoundland National Convention, 30 January 1948, Debates on Confederation with Canada

1454 NATIONAL CONVENTION January 1948

January 30, 1948

The Convention met at three of the clock in the afternoon pursuant to adjournment. The minutes of the previous session were read and confirmed. Thereupon strangers were admitted.
Thereupon the arrival of His Excellency the Administrator was announced to the Chairman. The Chairman left the Chair to receive His Ex cellency the Administrator, whom he escorted to the Chair.
Thereupon the Chairman delivered to His Excellency the recommendations of the Convention to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations.

National Convention: Final Report

Colonial Building, St. John's, Newfoundland. 29 January 1948.

The Right Honourable the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations London, England. Sir,
Section 3 of the National Convention Act of 1946 defines the duties of this Convention as follows:
It shall be the duty and function of the Convention to consider and discuss among themselves as elected representatives of the people of Newfoundland the changes that have taken place in the financial and economic situation of the Island since 1934, and, bearing in mind the extent to which the high revenues of recent years have been due to wartime conditions, to examine the posi tion of the country and to make recommendations to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom as to possible forms of future government to be put before the people at a national referendum.
The Convention was opened by His Excellency the Governor on September 11, 1946. As a first step in its investigations of the position of Newfoundland, the Convention appointed nine committees consisting of ten members each to enquire into the following:
Agriculture Education Finance and Economic Fisheries Forestry Local Industries Mining Public Health and Welfare
January 1948 NATIONAL CONVENTION 1455
Transportation and Communications
The duties of all the above-named committees now have been completed, and copies of the various reports submitted by them to the Convention will be found attached herewith. Each of the reports was in turn the subject of careful examination and extensive discussion by the Convention in its general sessions. In some instances committees found it difficult to obtain all the information they would have desired for the making of a more comprehensive investigation. The Convention is satisfied, however, that under the circumstances, these various reports furnish a sufficiently accurate and complete review of the matters dealt with; and that their conclusions and recommendations are based upon substantial foundations.
In the course of its deliberations the Convention deemed it advisable to send two fact-finding delegations abroad; one to London and the other to Ottawa. The delegation to London left here on April 24, 1947, and returned on May 10, 1947, and reported the result of its three discussions with the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to the Convention; whilst, in addition, the actual conversations which took place, and which were reported stenographically, were supplied to each individual member for his private information only. The Ottawa delegation left on June 19, 1947, and returned on October 4, 1947. During the absence of these two delegations the Convention had been adjourned. The Convention reconvened on October 10, 1947, and submitted an account of its meetings with representatives of the Dominion government which is contained in two volumes, copies of which are annexed hereto.
Subsequent to the reconvening of the Convention on October 10, 1947, the Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada, the Right Honourable W.L. Mackenzie King, forwarded by special courier to His Excellency the Governor, for transmission to the Convention, a document dated November 6, 1947, setting forth proposed arrangements for the entry of Newfoundland into confederation, with which was enclosed a letter from the Prime Minister of Canada also dated November 6, 1947. A copy of the document and letter is annexed hereto.
Also annexed hereto is the Economic Report on the present financial position and economic outlook of Newfoundland prepared by the Finance Committee of the Convention. This report was debated at length by the Convention and on January 14, 1948, was adopted unanimously.
The proposals received from the Canadian government have been thoroughly discussed and analysed.
The following resolution was introduced and debated, namely:
Be it resolved that this Convention recommend to the United Kingdom Government that the following forms of government be placed before the people at the proposed referendum, namely:
1. Responsible government as it existed prior to 1934;
2. Commission of Government.
For this resolution the following members voted, namely:
Thomas G.W. Ashbourne Charles L. Bailey Charles H. Ballam William J. Banfield F. Gordon Bradley, K.C. Kenneth M. Brown, O.B.E. Rev. Lester L. Burry Albert B. Butt Major Peter J. Cashin Edmund C. Cranford Chesley A. Crosbie P. Wellington Crummey Wilfred Dawe Percy Figary Frank D. Fogwill Joseph P. Fowler H. Pierce Fudge Alfred J. Goodridge John A. Hannon Michael F. Harrington Edgar L. Hickman Gordon F. Higgins, K.C. Daniel Hillier Malcolm M. Hollett David I. Jackman Hon. R.B. Job Colin G. Jones Thomas H. Kennedy William J. Keough Kenneth M. MacDonald Michael J. McCarthy 1456 NATIONAL CONVENTION January 1948 John J. McCormack Leonard J. Miller Isaac Newell Archelaus Northcott Albert E. Penney Edmund P. Reddy Edgar L. Roberts Denis L. Ryan Joseph R. Smallwood John T. Spencer Roland G. Starkes Reuben T. Vardy S. Fletcher Vincent Alfred Watton, Jr.
45
Against this motion the following members voted — Nil
The following resolution was introduced and debated:
Be it resolved that the National Convention desires to recommend to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that the following form of government be placed before the people of Newfoundland in the forthcoming national referendum, namely:
Confederation with Canada upon the basis submitted to the National Convention on November 6, 1947, by the Prime Minister of Canada.
The following members voted that this recommendation be made:
Thomas G.W. Ashbourne Charles H. Ballam William J. Banfield F.Gordon Bradley, K.C. Rev. Lester L. Burry Percy Figary Daniel Hillier William J. Keough Michael J. McCarthy Kenneth M. MacDonald Isaac Newell Edgar L. Roberts Joseph R. Smallwood John T. Spencer Roland G. Starkes S. Fletcher Vincent
16
The following members voted that this recommendation be not made, namely:
Charles L. Bailey Kenneth M. Brown, O.B.E. Albert B. Butt Major Peter J. Cashin Edmund C. Cranford Chesley A. Crosbie P.We11ington Crummey Wilfred Dawe Frank D. Fogwill Joseph P. Fowler H. Pierce Fudge Alfred J. Goodridge John A. Hannon Michael F. Harrington Edgar L. Hickman Gordon F. Higgins, K.C. Malcolm M. Hollett David I. Jackman Colin G. Jones Hon. R.B. Job Thomas H. Kennedy John J. McCormack Leonard J. Miller Archelaus Northcott Albert E. Penney Edmund P. Reddy Denis L. Ryan Reuben T. Vardy Alfred Watton, Jr.
29
Under standing order 39 of the Rules of Procedure of the Convention, members could express a preference between one form of government and another, and the following preferences were expressed:
For Responsible Government:
Charles L. Bailey Kenneth M. Brown, O.B.E. Albert B. Butt Major Peter J. Cashin Edmund C. Cranford Chesley A. Crosbie P. Wellington Crummey Wilfred Dawe Frank D. Fogwill Joseph P. Fowler H. Pierce Fudge Alfred J. Goodridge John A. Hannon Michael F. Harrington Edgar L. Hickman Gordon F. Higgins, K.C. January 1948 NATIONAL CONVENTION 1457 Malcolm M. Hollett David I. Jackman Colin G. Jones Thomas H. Kennedy John J. McCormack Leonard J. Miller Archelaus Northcott Albert E. Penney Edmund P. Reddy Denis L. Ryan Reuben T. Vardy Alfred Watton, Jr.
28
For Commission of Government: Nil
For Confederation as against Responsible:
Thomas G.W. Ashbourne Charles H. Ballam William J. Banfield F. Gordon Bradley, K.C. Rev. Lester L. Burry Percy Figary Kenneth M. MacDonald Edgar L. Roberts Joseph R. Smallwood John T. Spencer Roland G. Starkes S. Fletcher Vincent
12
For Confederation as against Commission of Government:
Thomas G. W. Ashbourne Charles H. Ballam William J. Banfield F. Gordon Bradley, K.C. Rev. Lester L. Burry Percy Figary Kenneth M. MacDonald Edgar L. Roberts Joseph R. Smallwood John T. Spencer Roland G. Starkes S. Fletcher Vincent
12
For Responsible Government as against either Confederation or Commission of Government:
Charles L. Bailey Kenneth M. Brown, O.B.E. Albert B. Butt Major Peter J. Cashin Edmund C. Cranford Chesley A. Crosbie P. Wellington Crummey Wilfred Dawe Frank D. Fogwill Joseph P. Fowler H. Pierce Fudge Alfred J. Goodridge John A. Hannon Michael F. Harrington Edgar L. Hickman Gordon F. Higgins, K.C. Malcolm M. Hollett David I. Jackman Colin G. Jones Thomas H. Kennedy John J. McCormack Leonard J. Miller Archelaus Northcott Albert E. Penney Edmund P. Reddy Denis L. Ryan Reuben T. Vardy Alfred Watton, Jr.
28
Enclosed herewith also is a certified copy of the minutes of the meetings of the Convention of January 22, January 28 and January 29, 1948, at which these votes were taken.
Respectfully submitted, J .B. McEvoy, Chairman W.G. Warren, Secretary.
His Excellency accepted the said recommendations and addressed the Convention as follows:
Mr. Chairman and members of the National Convention: It is now some 16 months since His Excellency the Governor, whose absence today we all regret, opened this Convention. In his speech he foretold, as it were, the difficulties which you would encounter in the performance of your task, and the considerable amount and the importance of the work which that task entailed. His prophesies have in a large measure been fulfilled.
When an inquiry into the economic, political and financial affairs of Newfoundland was held in 1933, with a view to considering the remedy for our then serious situation, the task was entrusted to a royal commission consisting of three men chosen because of their particular qualifications for the work. For nearly nine months they laboured quiet 1458 NATIONAL CONVENTION January 1948 ly, efficiently and speedily and in that comparatively short time found themselves in a position to make their report and their recommendations. When it was decided to hold another enquiry, with a similar object in view, His Majesty's Government in Great Britain proposed a method along democratic lines, a method whereby the elected representatives of the people, sitting in a National Convention should undertake work similar to that formerly performed by a chosen few. Now we all know that an elected assembly differs in many important respects from a small compact commission. The members are not chosen because of any particular qualifications; they come from different parts of the country and from different walks of life; they have different interests and have different conceptions of their duties and responsibilities. They work in public and instead of holding their discussion in the quiet detachment of a small conference chamber, they debate in full session and before a public audience, and, in the case of this particular Convention, over the wireless for the benefit of the public at large. That your proceedings have been prolonged, that your debates have from time to time resulted in some members wandering from the direct path of the terms of reference and that argument has frequently been passionate, all these things were, I think, to be expected. A great deal of the criticism which has been levelled at the Convention should therefore, in justice, be considered bearing these factors in mind. The Convention, like similar national constitutional assemblies held in different parts of the world since the war has followed a pattern which was in large measure to be anticipated.
Your debates have been followed with keen interest by our fellow countrymen and it is probably true to say that a great deal more information has been broadcast to a greater number of people by the means adopted, than would have resulted from the limited circulation and publicity given to a lengthy report of a royal commission. Your labours have been long and arduous and I feel sure that you will be happy at the release which becomes effective today. In a short time a referendum will take place and our fellow countrymen will be enabled to disclose the extent to which their interest in their own welfare has been aroused by your efforts. The only manner in which they can show that they are really interested in an desirous of some form of democratic government, as we know it, is by exercising their right to vote in great numbers. Commission of Government, excellent as it is as a temporary stop gap in the case of emergency, does not provide the proper spiritual outlet for the development of the political soul of a free people. Their ultimate goal must be democratic government either alone or as a partner in a greater democratic union. Whether democratic government is to come now or later, it is only by the exercise of the right to vote that the people can demand it, as it is only by similar action that they can control it.
I know that you will all agree that a special word of thanks is due for the services rendered by your various Chairmen, the late Hon. Mr. Justice Fox, whose sudden death was so much lamented, Mr. Bradley and Mr. McEvoy, all of whom have given valuable gratuitous service in an office which was not at all times an enviable one.
Gentlemen, you have been separated from your families and your pursuits for a considerable time and in thanking you for your efforts in this historic Convention, I hope that now that you can return to your normal lives you will find happiness and good fortune. I know formally accept your recommendations and assure you that they will be transmitted to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State at the earliest opportunity.
His Excellency the Administrator was pleased to retire, accompanied by the Chairman.
Thereupon the Convention dissolved.

Source:

Newfoundland. The Newfoundland National Convention, 1946-1948 Vol 1: Debates. Edited by J.K. Hiller and M.F. Harrington Montreal: Memorial University of Newfoundland by McGill-Queen's University Press, 1995).

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Gordon Lyall.

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