Жаңажерсилендтің конституциялық болашағын шешкен Ұлттық конвент (1946-1948)

1946–48 forum established to decide the constitutional future of Newfoundland

The Newfoundland National Convention of 1946 to 1948 was a forum established to decide the constitutional future of Newfoundland.

On 11 December 1945 the British Government announced that there would be an election to a national convention, which would debate constitutional options and make a recommendation as to which options would appear on a ballot in a national referendum. British Prime Minister Clement Attlee wanted to ensure that people from St John's, the capital and largest city, did not dominate the seats, so he recommended that delegates would be elected in the former electoral districts and that each delegate would have to have been a resident of the district. Nominations to the National Convention were held on 31 May 1946, and on 21 June 1946 Newfoundlanders elected 45 delegates. Two women offered themselves as candidates, but neither was elected. Lester Burry of Labrador secured a seat, the first time that Labrador had elected representation.

The National Convention was convened on 11 September 1946. Judge Cyril J. Fox of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland chaired the proceedings until his death. He was succeeded as chairman by Convention Member Gordon Bradley for most of the rest of the convention's duration, but after Bradley's resignation, the lawyer J. B. McEvoy served in the chair. The Commissioner of Home Affairs issued pay cheques to delegates: $15 a day, with a travelling stipend of $10 per day. Observers allowed in the gallery and the general public could listen to the debates on radio stations VOCM, VOAR and the state run Broadcasting Corporation of Newfoundland station, VONF. Some delegates who were critical of the Commission of Government used the opportunity to demand that Commissioners justify to the convention some of their policies. However, Governor Gordon MacDonald explained that delegates were not the Government of Newfoundland, but were convened to debate the constitutional options which would appear on a ballot in a forthcoming referendum.

Name (Birth Death) Riding Convention Stance RefP. Wellington CrummeyBay de VerdeWilfred DaweBay RobertsDavid JackmanBell IslandJoseph R. SmallwoodBonavista CentreConfederationF. Gordon BradleyBonavista EastSamuel VincentBonavista NorthKenneth M. BrownBonavista SouthAnti confederationPercy FigaryBurgeoEdward ReddyBurin EastDaniel HillierBurin WestAlbert PenneyCarbonearResponsible GovernmentAlbert GoodridgeFerrylandAlfred Watton Jr. FogoWilliam BanfieldFortune BayMalcolm Mercer HollettGrand FallsMalcolm McDonaldGrand FallsRoland G. StarkesGreen BayConfederationColin JonesHarbour GraceThomas KennedyHarbour MainJohn A. HannonHarbour MainJohn SpencerHermitagePierce FudgeHumberLester BurryLabradorArchibald NorthcottLewisporteLeonard J. MillerPlacentia EastDennis RyanPlacentia WestMichael McCarthyPort au PortJoseph FowlerPort de GraveEdgar RobertsSt. BarbeWilliam KeoughSt. George'sGordon HigginsSt. John's City EastEdgar HickmanSt. John's City EastRobert Brown JobSt. John's City EastChesley CrosbieSt. John's City WestResponsible GovernmentPeter John CashinSt. John's City WestResponsible GovernmentMichael HarringtonSt. John's City WestFrank FogwillSt. John's East ExternAlbert ButtSt. John's West ExternJohn MacCormackSt. Mary'sEdmund CrawfordTrinity CentreReuben VardyTrinity NorthCharles BaileyTrinity South Thomas G. W. AshbourneTwillingateIsaac NewellWhite BayConfederation

Many delegates believed Newfoundland should return to responsible government and self determination; delegates sympathetic to Confederation with Canada were in a minority in the National Convention. On 28 October 1946, Joseph R. Smallwood moved that a delegation be sent to Ottawa to discuss Terms of Union with Canada. More motions and amendments were passed in the days following, when on 30 October Kenneth M. Brown, the delegate from Bonavista South, collapsed on the floor of the chamber. Tragedy struck again when on 16 November, Judge Fox suffered a heart attack and died suddenly. Smallwood's motion revealed that confederation with Canada had only a minority of support in the Convention, but it was now on the agenda and the confederates used the radio broadcasts of the convention to tell the people of Newfoundland and Labrador of the financial advantages that joining Canada would bring. The convention adjourned on 13 December for the Christmas break, but the widespread feeling that Smallwood and the confederates had the upper hand encouraged St. John's businessman F. M. O'Leary and others to form the Responsible Government League. The RGL was dedicated to the resumption of the former (1933) constitution for the Dominion.

Newfoundland–Canadian negotiations were largely a one way affair, because any union between the two dominions was dictated by the provisions of the British North America Act (BNA), under which Canada had come into being in 1867. P. W. Crummey had the hardest portfolio. Because the economy of his district was almost exclusively fishery oriented, he was assigned to negotiate maritime issues. Crummey quickly discovered that after Confederation, Newfoundland would lose control of the Grand Banks because the BNA designated fisheries as under federal jurisdiction. Crummey also sensed that the federal negotiators intended to draw out the negotiations.

A National Delegate named Robert Brown Job suggested economic union with the United States. Another National Delegate named Chesley Crosbie subsequently created the Economic Union Party. On 11 April 1947, David Jackman moved that a delegation be sent to Washington, DC, to seek terms of union but his motion was not passed by the assembly. Thus, union with the United States was effectively taken off the table.

A motion to place confederation with Canada on the ballot was defeated 29 to 16. Joey Smallwood felt slighted by what he called "twenty nine dictators". Smallwood and his Confederates took the matter public. Newfoundland's Governor, Gordon Macdonald announced on 11 March 1948 that confederation with Canada would be on a national referendum ballot along with dominion government and the Commission.