Newfoundland enters Confederation : ceremony broadcast from St. John's and Ottawa, April 1/49, CBC nat'l network

• Main Authors: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Emerson, Lewis Edward, Walsh, Albert Joseph, Gibson, Colin, St. Laurent, Louis S. (Louis Stephen), 1882-1973, Bradley, F. Gordon, Alexander of Tunis, Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, Earl, 1891-1969
• Format: Audio
• Language: English; French
• Published: [Toronto] : CBC Radio Canada, 1949 1949
• Subjects: Newfoundland and Labrador > History > Union with Canada; 1949; Newfoundland; Newfoundland studies
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/cns_media/id/0

This is the live CBC radio broadcast of the ceremonies marking Newfoundland's entry into Confederation as the 10th Canadian province on 1 April 1949. The ceremony features two parts: the first at Government House in St. John's, and the second at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In his 'welcome to Canada' speech, Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent emphasizes the similarities between Newfoundland and Canada: the same way of life, shared wartime experiences and shared British heritage including loyalty to the Crown. Newfoundlander and newly-appointed Canadian Secretary of State F. Gordon Bradley views the day's events as inevitable: "our insular independence was unsound [.] We are all Canadians now." Both men stress that under the federal system Newfoundland would keep its distinctive identity, as the other provinces had done. Ceremony begins at Government House, St. John's -- 02:00 minutes: the singing of the Ode to Newfoundland -- 03:25 minutes: reading of the Commission of the Lieutenant-Governor -- 07:40 minutes: Oaths of Allegiance and Office administered to the new Lt. Gov. Sir Albert Joseph Walsh by Newfoundland Chief Justice Sir Lewis Edward Emerson -- 09:00 minutes: Canadian Government representative Colin Gibson's speech and the offering of token Canadian citizenship papers to the people of Newfoundland via the Lt. Gov. -- 11:10 minutes: Lt. Gov. Walsh's speech -- 13:13 minutes: ceremony begins at Parliament Hill in Ottawa -- 18:00 minutes: Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent's speech (in English and French) -- 29:47 minutes: Newfoundlander and that-day appointed Canadian Secretary of State F. Gordon Bradley's speech -- 35:52 minutes: Prime Minister St-Laurent puts the first carving into the Newfoundland shield in the arch of the Peace Tower's main entrance and delivers a second speech (in English and French) -- 41:32 minutes: Governor-General Viscount Alexander of Tunis reads the King's message and delivers a speech -- 46:35 minutes: Royal Salute, featuring the band playing God Save the Queen, the Ode to ...