Newfoundland People's Party
Encyclopedia
The Newfoundland People's Party was a political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland
before it joined Canada
.
The party was created by Attorney-General Edward Patrick Morris in 1907, when he split from the ruling Liberal Party
to found his own political vehicle. The party tied with the Liberals in the 1908 election but, when no party was able to form a government, new elections were held which the People's Party won with 26 seats to 10 for the Liberals.
Prime Minister
Morris and the People's Party were re-elected in the 1913 election, winning 16 seats compared to 7 for the Liberals and 8 for the Fisherman's Protective Union led by William Coaker
.
In 1917, a wartime crisis over conscription
resulted in Morris inviting the opposition parties to join in a National Government
, which ruled for two years. Morris retired at the end of 1917, and was replaced as People's Party leader by Sir Michael Patrick Cashin
.
Cashin's government was defeated in the 1919 election by Richard Squires
and his Liberal Reform Party (a merger between the Liberals and the FPU). In opposition, Cashin changed the name of the party to the Liberal-Labour-Progressive Party, which disappeared after the 1923 election. Some members of that party joined Albert Hickman
's new Liberal-Progressive Party, and others joined with Tories to form the Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party.
Although not a sectarian party, the People's Party and its immediate successor had their support concentrated among Catholic
voters, particularly on the south coast of the island.
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
before it joined Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The party was created by Attorney-General Edward Patrick Morris in 1907, when he split from the ruling Liberal Party
Liberal parties in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation)
For the modern Liberal Party see Liberal Party of Newfoundland and LabradorSeveral earlier groupings functioned in the Dominion of Newfoundland under the name Liberal Party of Newfoundland from the granting of responsible government to the island in the 1850s until its suspension in 1934 when the...
to found his own political vehicle. The party tied with the Liberals in the 1908 election but, when no party was able to form a government, new elections were held which the People's Party won with 26 seats to 10 for the Liberals.
Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Morris and the People's Party were re-elected in the 1913 election, winning 16 seats compared to 7 for the Liberals and 8 for the Fisherman's Protective Union led by William Coaker
William Coaker
Sir William Ford Coaker was a Newfoundland union leader and politician and founder of the Fisherman's Protective Union and the Fishermen's Union Trading Co....
.
In 1917, a wartime crisis over conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
resulted in Morris inviting the opposition parties to join in a National Government
National unity government
A national unity government, government of national unity, or national union government is a broad coalition government consisting of all parties in the legislature, usually formed during a time of war or other national emergency.- Canada :During World War I the Conservative government of Sir...
, which ruled for two years. Morris retired at the end of 1917, and was replaced as People's Party leader by Sir Michael Patrick Cashin
Michael Patrick Cashin
Sir Michael Patrick Cashin, KBE was a Newfoundland businessman and politician....
.
Cashin's government was defeated in the 1919 election by Richard Squires
Richard Squires
Sir Richard Anderson Squires KCMG was the Prime Minister of Newfoundland from 1919 to 1923 and from 1928 to 1932.-Early career:...
and his Liberal Reform Party (a merger between the Liberals and the FPU). In opposition, Cashin changed the name of the party to the Liberal-Labour-Progressive Party, which disappeared after the 1923 election. Some members of that party joined Albert Hickman
Albert Hickman
Albert Edgar Hickman , born in Grand Bank, Newfoundland, was Newfoundland's seventeenth Prime Minister and has the distinction of having served the shortest term of any Prime Minister....
's new Liberal-Progressive Party, and others joined with Tories to form the Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party.
Although not a sectarian party, the People's Party and its immediate successor had their support concentrated among Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
voters, particularly on the south coast of the island.
See also
- List of political parties in Newfoundland and Labrador
- General elections in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation)General elections in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation)Newfoundland, as a British colony and dominion, held 29 general elections for its 28 Newfoundland House of Assemblies. In 1934 the Dominion of Newfoundland surrendered its constitution to the Crown and ceased to have a legislature in order to be ruled by London through the Commission of...
- List of Newfoundland Prime Ministers