Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne facts for kids

Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne (born December 4, 1894 – died March 8, 1984) was an important Canadian politician. He played a big role in helping Newfoundland join Canada. He was part of a special group called the Newfoundland National Convention. This group talked about how Newfoundland would become part of Canada.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Ashbourne was born in a town called Twillingate, which is in Newfoundland. When he was older, he went to Victoria College at the University of Toronto. There, he was classmates with Lester Pearson, who later became a Prime Minister of Canada!

After finishing college in 1917, Thomas Ashbourne wanted to join the Canadian Army. However, he had an irregular heartbeat, so he couldn't fight with them. Instead, he joined the British Army and fought in a place called Flanders from 1917 to 1918.

His Political Career

Thomas Ashbourne started his political journey in Newfoundland.

Joining the Newfoundland Assembly

In 1923, he was chosen by the people of Twillingate to be a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. This was like being a representative for his town in the government of Newfoundland. He was chosen again in 1924.

Helping Newfoundland Join Canada

A very important time for Newfoundland was in 1947. Thomas Ashbourne was chosen to be part of the Newfoundland National Convention. This was a special meeting where people discussed if Newfoundland should join Canada.

He also went to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada's capital. He was part of a group called the Ottawa Delegation. Their job was to talk about the rules and agreements for Newfoundland to become a province of Canada. This process is called Confederation.

Here are the people who were part of that important delegation:

• T.G.W. Ashbourne (from Twillingate)
• F.G. Bradley (from Bonavista South)
• Charles Ballam (from Humber)
• Lester Burry (from Labrador)
• P.W. Crummey (from Bay de Verde)
• Joey Smallwood (from Bonavista Centre)

After Newfoundland Joined Canada

After Newfoundland officially became a part of Canada, Thomas Ashbourne continued his work in politics.

Serving in the Canadian Parliament

In 1949, he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada. This is where laws are made for all of Canada. He represented an area called Grand Falls—White Bay. He was a member of the Liberal Party.

He was re-elected, meaning chosen again by voters, in 1953 and 1957. This shows that people trusted him to represent them in the Canadian government.