December 24, 1900 - Joey Smallwood is Born

Canada’s last father of Confederation, “Joey” Smallwood, is born. Joseph Roberts “Joey” Smallwood was born on December 24, 1900 just outside Gambo, Newfoundland. Because his family was poor, he left school at the age of 15 to work in the newspaper business. After a number of years writing for Newfoundland newspapers and doing one stint with a socialist paper in New York City, he gained prominence through a column in Saint John’s Daily News. This, combined with his radio show on the Voice of Newfoundland, eased his entry into Liberal politics. In 1946, he was sent to Ottawa as a delegate to kick-start Newfoundland’s admission into Canada as a province. A strong supporter of uniting with Canada, he used his column and radio show to promote these aims every chance he had. In a referendum that revealed 52.3% in favour and 47.7% against, Newfoundland joined Canada as its 10th province on March 31, 1949. In 1949, as leader of the Liberal Party, Smallwood became the province’s first premier, and hence Canada’s last “father of Confederation.” The latter is a term often given to men in government who created Canada in 1867, or were involved with subsequent provinces joining the Confederation. He stayed in the job until he was defeated in 1971, then ventured back once more before retiring to write the Encyclopedia of Newfoundland. He died on December 18, 1991.

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