HISTORY The island of Newfoundland, according to the Icelandic saga, was sighted in A.D. 1001 by a merchant of Iceland, voyaging in search of trade. John Cabot discovered the island in 1497, but no permanent settlement resulted. The lasting results of Cabot's discovery sprang from a revelation of the riches of the sea, and the island was frequented as early as 1500 by British, Portuguese, Spanish, Basque and Breton fishermen, the Portuguese being the first to exploit the new fishing grounds. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I several attempts were made to colonise the island, but these were unsuccessful. The interior was explored by Anthony Parkhurst in 1578, but the first attempt at formal annexation, made by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, had no direct effect on subsequent history. In 1610 a Charter was granted to the "Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters for the Colony or Plantation in Newfoundland', and colonists were established by the company in Conception Bay, mainly for the purpose of improving the fishing industry. In 1623 Sir George Calvert (afterwards Lord Baltimore) obtained grants from the Crown for the establishment of a settlement in the south-eastern peninsula of the island, which he named the Province of Avalon. In 1633 the Privy Council issued an order which, known as the 'Western Charter' or the 'Fishing Charter', lay at the base of all regulations concerning Newfoundland for more than 150 years. The first permanent colony was founded by Sir David Kirke, who was granted two Patents in 1637 for the colonisation of the whole of Newfoundland, and by 1774 a true colony had grown up, after which the island proceeded to develop more normally as compared with its previously amphibious character as ‘a great English ship moored near the Banks during the fishing season for the convenience of fishermen'. By the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, subsequently ratified by the Treaty of Paris, the French, who in 1662 had established a base at Placentia, acknowledged British sovereignty over the whole of Newfoundland. Certain rights were granted to French fishermen under the Treaty, the extent of which long remained in dispute until settled by the Anglo-French Convention of 1904, by which France renounced her privileges under Article XIII. The Convention was of great benefit to Newfoundland, since it removed an obstruction to local development, to mining and other industrial enterprises, over some two-fifths of the whole coast-line. The mainland of Labrador, discovered by the Norseman Leif, son of Eric the Red, in A.D. 1000, was early frequented by Basque and subsequently by Breton fishermen. In 1763 the Atlantic coast was annexed to Newfoundland but was temporarily re-annexed to Quebec from 1774 to 1809. CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Newfoundland has had a Legislature since 1832, but it was the last of the old North American Colonies to which responsible government was conceded, in 1855. The island was subsequently administered by a Governor, aided by a responsible Executive Council in which the Governor presided, a Legislative Council appointed for life (17 members in 1932) and an elected House of Assemby (27 members in 1932). The British North America Act, 1867, made provision for the accession of Newfoundland to Canada, but Newfoundland voted against confederation in 1869. Talks between Governments of Canada and Newfoundland with a view to confederation broke down in 1895. Newfoundland was separately represented at Imperial Conferences and enjoyed Dominion status, but did not become a separate member of the League of Nations and was not responsible for its own international relations. Owing to the world depression and inability to meet the interest charges on the Public Debt, the Legislature in 1933 prayed His Majesty The King to suspend the constitution and appoint six Commissioners who, with the Governor as Chairman, would administer the government under the supervision of the British Government until Newfoundland became self-supporting again. His Majesty thereupon appointed three Commissioners from Newfoundland and three drawn from Britain, who took office in 1934. In 1945 it was announced that an elected National Convention would meet in 1946 to make recommendations as to the forms of future government which might be put before the people at a national referendum. The Convention met in September and sent factfinding delegations to London and Ottawa in 1947. In the course of the discussions at Ottawa the Canadian Government agreed provisionally that if the people of Newfoundland should vote in favour of confederation with Canada, the Canadian Government would conclude a taxation agreement on a 'most favoured Province' basis, would service the sterling debt, would take over the Newfoundland railroad and would make a special confederation grant to Newfoundland. In 1948 the British Government decided that the referendum should be limited to three choices, namely, (1) continuation of the Commission of Government, (2) confederation with Canada, and (3) the restoration of responsible government; and that, if none of the choices received an absolute majority, a further referendum would be held to decide between the two receiving the largest number of votes. The votes on the 3rd June 1948 in favour of (1) were 22,311, of (2) 64,066, and of (3) 69,400. As no one form of government received an absolute majority over the other two combined, a further referendum was arranged for the 22nd July limited to choices (2) and (3). At this referendum the votes in favour of confederation with Canada were 78,323 and for responsible government 71,334, A delegation of seven was sent to Ottawa to discuss the terms of union with Canada, and agreement was reached on the 11th December 1948. The union of Newfoundland and Canada took effect immediately before the expiration of the thirty-first day of March 1949 (North America Act, 1949). CONSTITUTION Under the Terms of Union the Province of Newfoundland (embracing Labrador and the island of Newfoundland, with their existing boundaries) became part of Canada with provision for the application of the British North America Acts, 1867 to 1946, to Newfoundland as if the latter had been one of the Provinces originally united, but subject to the modifications mentioned in the terms of agreement and to the omission of such provisions as were specially applicable to or only intended to affect one or two but not all of the original Provinces. Provision was made for Newfoundland to be represented in the Senate of Canada by six members and in the House of Commons by seven, subject to subsequent readjustment in accordance with the provisions of the British North America Acts. As Newfoundland was governed by a Commission of Government (19341949) rather than by an elected legislature and executive responsible to it, as was the case in all existing Canadian provinces, and as the newest or tenth provincial member in the Canadian confederation should have a constitution similar to that of the other provinces, provision was made under the Terms of Union for the revival of the constitution of Newfoundland as it existed prior to 16th February 1934, subject to the terms of the British North America Acts 1867 to 1946 (which largely defined the Constitution of Canada) and excepting that there should be no legislative council; thus provision was made for the establishment of the usual institutions of provincial government comprising a Lieutenant-Governor, an Executive Council or Cabinet and a Legislative Assembly elected by adult suffrage, and for the continuation of Newfoundland laws until altered or repealed by the Parliament of Canada or by the Legislature of the Province of Newfoundland in accordance with their respective authorities under the British North America Acts, 1867 to 1946. Mention should be made of the educational and financial terms of the Union, these being of special import. The Legislature of Newfoundland was given exclusive authority in relation to education, subject to its not affecting any right or privilege with respect to denominational schools, common schools or denominational colleges that any class had by law provided at the date of union, and in relation to public funds for education. Canada assumed responsibility for the service and retirement of the Newfoundland public debt, the existing balances standing to the credit of Newfoundland being usable under certain conditions by the Government of the Province. Provision was also made for the Government of Canada to pay to the Province of Newfoundland an annual subsidy of $180,000 plus a sum calculated on the basis of 80 cents per head of the population and a further additional annual subsidy of $1,100,000 payable for the purposes envisaged in connection with the payment of similar subsidies granted to the Maritime Provinces of Canada and in recognition of the special problems of Newfoundland by reason of its geography and its sparse population. A further transitional grant was to be payable to Newfoundland for 12 years. This was to range from $6,500,000 in the first year to $350,000 in the twelfth. Under Article XXIX of the Terms of Union a Royal Commission of three members was appointed on 21st February 1957 to review the financial position of the Province. In its Report dated 31st May 1958 the Commission made recommendations for additional financial assistance on a scale that would enable the Government of the Province to continue public services at the levels and standards reached subsequent to the Union without resorting to taxation more burdensome than that obtaining generally in the region comprising the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Consequently the Parliament of Canada made provision for the payment to the Province of Newfoundland of the following additional grants, under the Newfoundland Additional Grants Act of 1959: for the fiscal year (ended 31st March) 1957-58 $6,600,000; 1958-59 $6,950,000; 1959-60 $7,300,000; 1960-61 $7,650,000 and 1961-62 $8,000,000. An annual grant of $8,000,000 is provided, under the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, for the years 1962-63 to 1966-67 inclusive. The present Government of Newfoundland consists of a Lieutenant-Governor, an Executive Council and a Legislative Assembly of 42 members, elected for a term of five years. THE GOVERNMENT At the last General Election held on 8th September 1966 the Liberal Party secured 39 seats and the Progressive Conservative Party 3. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Hon. Ewart John Arlington Harnum EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and Minister of Economic Development: Hon. J. R. Swallwood, PC Minister of Labour: Hon. W. J. Keough Minister of Provincial Affairs: Hon. Dr G. A. Frecker Minister of Labrador Affairs: Hon. Capt. Earl Winsor Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Health: Hon. T. A. Hickman, QC Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Community and Social Development and Housing: Hon. A. Maloney Minister without Portfolio: Hon. G. I. Hill SUPREME COURT Chief Justice: Hon. R. S. Furlong, MBE JUDGES: Hon. H. G. Puddester; Hon. J. D. Higgins; Hon. A. S. Mifflin DISTRICT JUDGES IN ADMIRALTY: Hon. R. S. Furlong, MBE; Hon. H. G. Puddester; Hon. J. D. Higgins PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SITUATION AND POPULATION Prince Edward Island lies in the southern part of the Gulf of St Lawrence. Its area is 2,184 square miles. The population in 1966 was 108,535 of whom 18,427 lived in Charlottetown, the capital city. The estimated provincial population on 1st June 1967 was 109,000. HISTORY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Prince Edward Island, formerly the Isle St Jean and a dependency of Cape Breton Island (Isle Royale), formed part of the French province of Acadia. It was ceded to Britain in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris and formed part of the colony of Nova Scotia. It was separated from Nova Scotia and formed into a separate colony in 1769 and shared in the influx of Loyalists from the American colonies during and after the Revolutionary War. The problem of absentee proprietors bedevilled the relations of Governor and Assembly for the next 60 years, but responsible government was established in 1851. The colony was not one of the original provinces of Canada but joined the federation in 1873. CONSTITUTION The Government of the Province of Prince Edward Island consists of a Lieutenant-Governor, an Executive Council and a Legislative Assembly of 32 members, elected for a statutory term of five years. THE GOVERNMENT At the last General Election held on 30th May and 11th July 1966 the Liberal Party obtained 17 seats and the Progressive Conservative Party 15 seats. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. W. J. Macdonald, ED EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and Attorney-General: Hon. Alex. B. Campbell, PC, QC Minister of Welfare and of Tourist Development: Hon. M. Lorne Bonnell Minister of Labour and Manpower Resources: Hon. J. Elmer Blanchard Minister without Portfolio: Hon. Robert E. Campbell SUPREME COURT Chief Justice: Thane A. Campbell Assistant Justice and Master of Rolls: Hon. R. R. Bell District Judge in Admiralty: Hon. Gordon R. Holmes, QC COURT OF CHANCERY Master of the Rolls: Hon. M. R. MacGuigan NOVA SCOTIA SITUATION AND POPULATION Nova Scotia consists of the peninsula of Nova Scotia and the island of Cape Breton, both lying between the Gulf of St Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. The area is 21,425 square miles. The population in 1966 was 756,039, of whom 86,792 lived in the capital city, Halifax, while the population of greater Halifax was 198,193. The estimated population of the province on 1st June 1967 was 757,000. HISTORY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Nova Scotia was first discovered by the Norsemen and rediscovered by John Cabot in 1497; it was colonised by the French in 1598; was taken by the English, and a grant of it made to Sir W. Alexander by James I in 1621. In 1632 it was restored to France, with Quebec, by the Treaty of St Germain-en-Laye, but again ceded to England at the Peace of Utrecht in 1713. After the Peace of Aix-laChapelle in 1748, a settlement for disbanded troops was formed there by Lord Halifax, and the city which now bears his name is the capital of the province. Cape Breton Island was not finally taken from the French until 1758, in which year the first Assembly was summoned. Many Loyalists moved to Nova Scotia from the former American colonies to the south when the independence of the latter was recognised in 1783 and the last British troops withdrawn. In 1769 Prince Edward Island became a separate colony and in 1784 New Brunswick and Cape Breton Island were also separated from the rest of Nova Scotia to which Cape Breton Island was later reunited. In 1848 responsible government was established, and in 1867 Nova Scotia was one of the three colonies which united to form Canada, of which it became a Province. CONSTITUTION The Government of Nova Scotia consists of a Lieutenant-Governor, an Executive Council and a House of Assembly. The Legislature has 46 members elected for a maximum term of five years. |