Newfoundland Act facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to confirm and give effect to Terms of Union agreed between Canada and Newfoundland |
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| Citation | 12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 22 |
| Territorial extent | Dominion of Newfoundland, Dominion of Canada |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 23 March 1949 |
| Commencement | 31 March 1949 |
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Status: Current legislation
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Newfoundland Act was a special law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It officially confirmed an agreement made on March 23, 1949. This agreement was between Canada and Newfoundland, which was a separate country at the time.
This law meant that Newfoundland would join Canada and become its tenth province. At first, the law was called the British North America Act 1949. But later, in 1982, Canada changed its own constitution. At that time, the law was renamed the Newfoundland Act.
Contents
What Newfoundland Gained
When Newfoundland joined Canada, it received many benefits. The Canadian government took over several important services. These included the Newfoundland Railway, Newfoundland Airport (now a major international airport), and public broadcasting. Canada also took over telegraph services and other federal responsibilities.
Canada also agreed to take on Newfoundland's existing financial debt. This helped Newfoundland start fresh as a new province.
Financial Support for Newfoundland
Newfoundland also received special financial help. It got regular payments from the Canadian government. There was also a special payment of $1.1 million. Newfoundland could also make deals with the federal government about taxes.
For 12 years, Newfoundland received an extra $3.5 million each year. This amount slowly decreased by 10 percent each year. To make sure everything was fair, a royal commission was set up. This group would check Newfoundland's finances later on.
Changes to the Act
Since Newfoundland joined Canada, the Newfoundland Act has been updated four times. These changes were made using Canada's own rules for changing its constitution.
| Name of Change | What was Changed | Why it was Changed | How it was Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constitution Amendment, 1987 | Section 3 and term 17 of the Act's schedule | This change gave more education rights to the Pentecostal Church in Newfoundland. Later, a newer change replaced this one. | Approved by the House of Commons, Senate, and Newfoundland's local government. |
| Constitution Amendment, 1997 (Newfoundland Act) | Term 17 of the Act's schedule | This allowed Newfoundland to create a public school system. This new system replaced the older church-run education system. | Approved by the House of Commons and Newfoundland's local government. The Senate's approval was not needed for this change. |
| Constitution Amendment, 1998 (Newfoundland Act) | Term 17 of the Act's schedule | This change ended rules about how many students from certain religions could be in religion classes in Newfoundland. | Approved by the House of Commons, Senate, and Newfoundland's local government. |
| Constitution Amendment, 2001 (Newfoundland and Labrador) | Everywhere the word "Newfoundland" appeared in the Act's schedule | This change officially added "and Labrador" to the province's name. So, "Province of Newfoundland" became "Province of Newfoundland and Labrador." | Approved by the House of Commons, Senate, and Newfoundland's local government. |
Older Newfoundland Acts
Before the 1949 Act, there were other important laws about Newfoundland. These laws helped shape how Newfoundland was governed over time.
- Newfoundland Act 1698: This law, also known as King William's Act, helped encourage trade, especially fishing, in the region.
- Newfoundland Act 1832: This act continued certain laws about Newfoundland and managed how duties (taxes) collected there would be used.
- Newfoundland Act 1842: This law changed how Newfoundland was governed. It created an appointed upper council and an elected lower assembly.
- Newfoundland Act 1933: This act temporarily stopped Newfoundland's self-government. It set up a special commission to rule the area instead.
See also
- Malaysia Act 1963
- Hong Kong Act 1985
