Newfoundland has always been a strange place. During the 1940s, it wasn’t actually part of Canada & was instead a place that sort of floated between. It was during this moment that Newfoundland almost became America’s 51st state, or at least, allegedly did.
So what happened? And why did the plans fall through? Let’s find out.
Key takeaways
You’ll learn about:
- How the idea of Newfoundland becoming American began
- The politics behind the two 1948 referendums
- What killed the idea of statehood
- How Newfoundland finally became part of Canada
Dominion to a British commission (1934)
Newfoundland had already been through its fair share of issues before the 1940s. It originally governed itself. But by 1934, the island was completely broke, and the government needed to solve its financial problems without defaulting on debts. They decided to hand the keys back to Britain.
Britain continued to govern Newfoundland until the end of World War II. London officials appointed a small group, called the Commission of Government, to run things there. It wasn’t popular. However, there wasn’t much that anyone could do about it at the time.
Why the Americans showed up in force (1940–45)
The outbreak of World War II and the USA’s later involvement hugely affected Newfoundland. The United States needed a place to keep its planes & ships, as well as troops, in the North Atlantic. Newfoundland was perfect for that.
Britain and the United States reached an agreement in 1940. It was called the “Destroyers-for-Bases” deal. The deal gave America the right to build bases on the island, in exchange for giving Britain several old ships.
The deal led to American troops being stationed all across Newfoundland, including in Argentia & Stephenville. With the troops came money & jobs. And of course, Coca-Cola. It helped to improve the area’s economy and had people questioning whether the area would be better under Washington’s jurisdiction, rather than London’s.
A national convention puts futures on the table (1946–48)
World War II came to an end in 1945, and with it, Newfoundland residents wanted a say in what came next. Britain called a National Convention. It gathered representatives from across Newfoundland & Labrador to discuss future plans.
At the center of the debate was the question of whether the island would bring back its own government or stay under Britain’s watch. There was also the possibility of joining Canada.
Discussions continued for months, during which there were plenty of speeches & tempers, and plenty of long nights. People were divided right down the middle throughout the whole Convention.
The Economic Union Party and the U.S. idea (1947–48)
A new group emerged out of all the arguments. It was called the Economic Union Party & Ches Crosbie led it. His team believed that Newfoundland should forget all about Ottawa and make a trade deal with the United States instead.
The Economic Union Party believed in, you guessed it, economic union. This wasn’t statehood exactly. But the line became blurry rather quickly, and the group began encouraging the idea that Newfoundland’s future was across the border. It wasn’t across the Gulf.
The idea caught on with merchants & workers. They had gotten used to American paychecks during the war, so answering to Washington seemed like the logical next step.
Was “statehood” ever a real option?
Despite the conversations, the idea of joining America was never on the referendum ballot. The only choices were:
- Return to self-rule
- Continue with the British commission
- Join Canada
That was it. Yes, the Economy Union Party received a lot of attention & support. But there were never any serious suggestions from Washington or London about considering Newfoundland for American statehood. It was mostly a local fantasy that took on a life of its own.
Two referendums in 1948
On June 3rd, 1948, the first vote happened & it split three ways. There was no majority. A second vote was held on July 22nd of the same year. The second referendum abandoned the British choice, leaving only Confederation with Canada & Responsible Government.
The winner? As you might expect, it was the Confederation with Canada. It won by a small majority of 52%. That was enough to end the debate.
Canadian & British lawyers began drafting agreements almost immediately. They sent committees to organize pensions & had politicians working out regulations. It took until early 1949 for everything to be ready to go. On March 31st, 1949, Newfoundland officially became Canada’s tenth province.
The decisive date
Flags changed, and mailboxes received new names on March 31st. Currencies changed, and the local people had to learn a few new rules since they were now part of a new country. But the American accents didn’t disappear overnight, nor did the USA pack up immediately.
America continued to keep leases on the island in places like Argentia. They ran them under Canadian sovereignty. It took decades for the bases to close permanently.
The “almost 51st state” idea
So where exactly did the idea of Newfoundland almost being the 51st state come from? It’s mostly because the American military was everywhere on the island. The Economic Union Party preached the idea of trading with the USA & people liked to imagine what it would feel like to be part of something bigger.
But it never came close to happening, although it did make for good coffee shop conversations. It still does.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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