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features

Ship Harbour, Placentia Bay, provided asecret mooring spot where US PresidentRoosevelt and British Prime MinisterChurchill signed the Atlantic Charter onAugust 14, 1941, a policy that wasadopted by WWII Allies and inspired thefounding goals of the United Nations.

Terry Fox started his cross-Canada Marathon of Hope onApril 12, 1980, by dipping his

foot in St. John’s harbour.

The final Canadian leg of Rick Hansen’sworldwide Man in Motion wheelchairmarathon began at Cape Spear in 1986.

Civilian aviation in North Americabegan with the first such airport builtin Harbour Grace in 1927. That airstripwas instrumental in Amelia Earhart’srecord-setting solo flight.

First evidence of European presence inthe New World exists at L’Anse auxMeadows, NL, where Norse Vikingslanded around 1,000 AD.

Telegraph communication betweenEurope and North America was madepossible by a transat-lantic cable landedat Hearts Content,NL in 1866, whichrelayed messagesfrom the Old Worldto the New World.

As the country marks its 150th birthday July 1,we look at all the ways Newfoundland andLabrador has contributed to the national mosaicand what it means to be proudly Canadian. Itwas hard keeping it to just 150, and we invitereaders to contact us with your suggestions.

Cupids was the first year-round set-tlement in North America and itssuccess led to the eventual settle-ment of Europeans across Canada.

Dr. J.M. Olds introduced the idea ofgroup medical coverage to the conti-nent when he instituted the “blanketcontract” to residents of theTwillingate area in the 1930s. Peoplepaid 44 cents per year for member-ship in return for free hospital serviceswhen needed.

Wireless communicationacross continents beganat Signal Hill, St. John’s, in 1901.

The world’s first nonstop transat-lantic flight got liftoff from Lester’sField in St. John’s in 1919.

The Royal Newfoundland Regimentbrought its world-renowned historyof bravery and sacrifice to theesteem of the Canadian ArmedForces.

Gander was the location of the highlyclassified Ferry Command duringWWII, which enabled the faster, saferdelivery of military aircraft from facto-ries in North America to the front linesin Europe. In addition to Gander, GooseBay, Stephenville and St. John’s havehistorically been key locations forBritain, Canada and our Allies.

Historical Events & Achievements

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NL writers, and writers inspired by NL, who’ve made an impact on the Canadian liter-ary scene include (but are not limited to) Michael Crummey, Kathleen Winter, MichaelWinter, Lisa Moore, Wayne Johnston, Donna Morrissey, Cassie Brown, Ray Guy, BerniceMogan, Ed Kavanagh, Kevin Major, Kenneth Harvey and Robert Chafe.

Artists from this province who’ve received accolades nationwideand beyond include Christopher Pratt (and his ex-wife MaryPratt, who is “from away” but has been inspired by her NL experience), Gerald Squires and David Blackwood (inset).

Sculptor Morgan MacDonald beautifully captures the spirit of his sub-jects, immortalizing their impact on the world. His work is showing up acrossCanada, from The Rower at Quidi Vidi; to the Sealers Monument in Elliston and sev-eral provincial war memorials; to the slain Mounties in New Brunswick and, his cur-rent project, a solemn reminder of the Fort McMurray wildfire.

Actor, writer, director,producer AllanHawco continues toadd to the Canadianmovie and televisionlandscape. His TV series“Republic of Doyle” ran fiveseasons and airs in several countries.His series “Frontier” dramatizesCanada’s early fur trading history andthe Hudson’s Bay Company; and hisnext project is a series based on NLwriter Lisa Moore’s award-winningnovel, Caught.

Petrina Bromley is representingNewfoundland and Labrador and Canadain her role with the Broadway hit musical“Come From Away,” about Gander andarea’s heartwarming response to 9/11.

Other NL-born actorswho are recognizedCanadians in theirfield of successinclude Mark O’Brien,Shawn Doyle, AndyJones, Gordon Pinsent (inset) andNatasha Henstridge.

Without Newfoundland and Labradorcomedians, would there be anythingfunny to watch on CBC these pasttwo decades or more? Newfoundlandand Labrador spawned these comedi-ans: Mary Walsh, Cathy Jones, MarkCritch, Shaun Majumder, Susan Kent, Rick Mercer and Jonny Harris.

Great Big Sea – AlanDoyle, Sean McCannand Bob Hallett – beata path across Canadaand back many times,performing sold outshows to expatriate NLers andfans who just love the party atmosphereand their genuine, downhome sound.

Singer/songwriter Terry Kelly of St. John’s,blind almost since birth, produced theworld’s first music album featuring linernotes in Braille. The next year he wasappointed to the Order of Canada.

Ever since Bob Cole(“Hockey Night inCanada”), we canhardly turn on the TV orradio without tuninginto a NL native. LindenMacIntyre (“The FifthEstate”), Gwynne Dyer(world military history &global affairs journalist),Andrew Younghusband (“Canada’sWorst Driver” and “Canada’s WorstHandyman”), Tom Power (host of“Q”), Tom Harrington (“Marketplace”and “The World This Hour”) and RexMurphy (“The National” and “CrossCountry Checkup”).

The Newfoundland and Labrador filmindustry brings together unique loca-tions and a supportive, talented com-munity that helps produce suchCanadian films as Maudie (2016, star-ring Sally Hawkins), The GrandSeduction (2014, starring TaylorKitsch), Rare Birds (2001, starringWilliam Hurt) and The Shipping News(2001, starring Kevin Spacey).

Arts and Literature TV and Movies

Music

April Wine drummer Jerry Mercer(1973-84, 1992-2008), known for hislong drum solos, was born inNewfoundland and Labrador. He wasthe first Canadian to be honouredwith a Legends Award at the CapeBreton International Drum Festival(2010).

He’s a hometown hero,but the late RonHynes was also aninspiration and amentor to otherCanadian songwriters.

There aren’t enough pages in this issue to list all the incredible musical talent fromNewfoundland and Labrador, from long established artists to rising stars. But here area few who are known across Canada.

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We may only have afew seats at the fed-eral table, but we’veproduced some ofthe loudest andproudest – and themost entertaining –politicians the coun-try has ever seen.Topping the list is for-mer premier JoeySmallwood, whobrought this provinceto the union and is saidto have coined the phrase“Atlantic Provinces”; former federalfisheries minister Hon. John Crosbie;and former premier Danny Williams,whose spat with Ottawa was heardfrom coast to coast to coast, and whofamously removed the Canadian flagfrom all provincial buildings in protest.

Gen. William Keir “Bill” Carr was the firstcommander of the revamped CanadianForces Air Command in 1975 and isknown as the “father of the modernCanadian Air Force.”

Gen. Rick Hillier was the Chief ofDefence Staff for the Canadian Forcesfrom 2004 to 2008. Just prior to thatposting he commanded the NATOISAF in Afghanistan,leading a multina-tional unit fightingthe Taliban.

Several of Canada’s beloved creatures are associated withNewfoundland and Labrador: the Newfoundland dog, theNewfoundland pony,the LabradorRetriever, theLabradorHusky and theAtlantic puffin.

Local restaurants Mallard Cottage,Raymond’s and Merchant Tavernare on this year’s Canada’s 100 BestRestaurants List.

Mary Brown’s (best legsin town) has spread itsbattered wings fromNewfoundland andLabrador acrossCanada and into theUS (two former NL politi-cians opened a franchise inFlorida this spring).

Residents of this province areknown the world over for speakingCanada’s unofficial third language.We even have our own dictionaries.

Politicians& Leaders

Animals

Culture &Traditions

Athletes

Representing Canada at the Olympics,we can count curling gold medalistsBrad Gushue, Mark Nicols, Jamie Koraband Mike Adam (Torino, 2006). In figure skating, silver medalist KaetlynOsmond (Sochi, 2014). In paraswim-ming, gold medalist Katarina Roxon(Rio, 2016). And in hockey, silver medal-ist Dwayne Norris (Lillehammer, 1994).

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Harry “Moose” Watson of St. John’s was captain and lead scorer ofthe Canadian Olympic hockey team that won gold in France in1924 – the first year that hockey was added to the WinterOlympics.

Marg Davis of Fox Harbour helped Canada win the silver medalin the 1978 World Women’s Softball Championships in ElSalvador – the best finish Canada has ever had in the event’s52-year history.

Rod Snow of Bonavista had a lengthy rugby career that includedplaying for team Canada from 1995-2007 and he was one of thefirst players inducted into the Rugby Canada Hall of Fame.

There have been 28 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians draft-ed to play with the National Hockey League, doing their part toensure Canadians are represented in the NHL. Standout starsinclude Stanley Cup winner Daniel Cleary (2008, Detroit RedWings), Stanley Cup winner Michael Ryder (2011,Boston Bruins), John Slaney (scored the winninggoal for team Canada over Russia in the 1991 IIHFJunior World Championships), and Alex Faulkner(inset), the first NL native to ever play in the NHL(first drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1960).

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Brimstone Head on FogoIsland is internationally recognized as one corner of the earth by the Flat

Earth Society.

Canada’s quick access to France at St-Pierre-Miquelon begins at Fortune.

The oldest complex fossils found onearth are at Mistaken Point, one ofCanada’s newest UNESCO WorldHeritage Sites.

Fossils found at Fortune Head are world-renown among geologists, as theyillustrate the beginning of increasingbiological diversity of life on earth.

Newfoundland’s time zone givesCanadians an extra 30 minutes headstart on the rest of North America.

Our 17,542 km of rugged coastline is avast contribution to Canada’s total coast-line and its title of country with thelongest total coastline, at 202,080 km.

There are four national parks– Gros Morne, Terra Nova,Mealy Mountains andTorngats – in Newfoundland

and Labrador.

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment is the reason for one of only two nationalmemorial parks outside of Canada, atBeaumont-Hamel.

We harbour 46 National HistoricSites.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is theoldest continuous sporting event inNorth America.

Newfoundland and Labrador makesCanada the unofficial world capitalin unique categories you won’t find elsewhere:

Root Cellar Capital – EllistonIceberg Capital – Twillingate or St. Anthony (depending on whereyour allegiance lies)Moose Capital – RoddicktonWhaling Capital – Red Bay

We’re home to Canada’s smallesttown: Tilt Cove. As of press time, thepopulation stood at four – the mayor,the clerk (his wife), and two council-lors (in-laws).

Cape Spear is themost easterly pointof land on the NorthAmerican continent.

St. John’s is the oldest city inNorth America.

Newfoundland and Labrador place-names add flavour to the Canadianmap, from Blow-Me-Down to Dildo,and Heart’s Delight to Too GoodArm.

The province boasts fourof Canada’s 18 UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites: GrosMorne (inset), MistakenPoint, L’Anse auxMeadows and Red Bay.

The world’s longest snow-mobile endurance race isCain’s Quest throughLabrador.

Newfoundland andLabrador offers world-class salmon rivers thatbring avid anglers from allover the world and allwalks of life – includingworld leaders. USPresident George Bush Sr.came here to salmon fishon several occasions.

The Guinness World Recordfor giant squid goes to onethat washed ashore atGlovers Harbour in 1878. Itwas 18 metres long andweighed about 900 kg.

Codfish was the first natural Newfoundland andLabrador resource that every nation, includingCanada, wanted. Other natural resources fromthis province that have benefited Canadainclude offshore oil, iron ore, nickel, copper,lumber and hydroelectricity.

Putting Canada on the World Map Natural Resources

InventionsMemorial University students created ProjectSucSeed, hydroponic units that offer a low-cost,high-yield way of growing fresh food in any envi-ronment. It’s been a boon to northern communi-ties where the growing season and/or conditionsare limited and imported produce prices are high.

Cluny MacPherson, a RoyalNewfoundland Regiment soldierfrom St. John’s, invented the gasmask during the First World War. Hisinvention saved thousands of livesfrom chemical warfare.

The first unsinkable metal lifeboat was invented byHenry Frederick Coombs of Red Bay in 1886.

Rev. Dr. John Clinch introduced the smallpoxvaccine to North America by testing it first on hisfamily in Trinity, NL, in the late 1700s. Onceproven effective, the vaccine made its way toCanada and the United States.

Daylight Savings Time was introduced byNewfoundland politician John Anderson in 1917.

William Henry Whiteley revolutionized the cod fishingindustry when he invented the cod trap in 1871.