Where Once They Stood

Coming on the 70th anniversary of Newfoundland joining Confederation, as well as the 150th anniversary of its first rejection of Canada, Where Once They Stood challenges popular notions that those who voted against Confederation in 1869 and for union with Canada in 1948 were uninformed, incompetent, ignorant, and gullible. Raymond Blake and Melvin Baker demonstrate that, in fact, voters fully understood the issues at stake in both cases, and in 1948 women may have been instrumental in determining the final outcome, voting for Canada, believing it provided the best opportunities for their children.