Newfoundland Liberal Party
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Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
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|---|---|
| Active provincial party | |
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| Leader | Dwight Ball |
| President | John Allan |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Suite 205, Beothuk Building 20 Crosbie Place St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Ideology | Liberalism |
| Political position | Centre |
| National affiliation | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Colours | Red |
| Seats in House of Assembly |
30 / 40
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| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It has served as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since December 14, 2015.
The party originated in 1948 as the Newfoundland Confederate Association. At this time, Newfoundland was being governed by a Commission of Government appointed by the Government of the United Kingdom. The NCA was an organization campaigning for Newfoundland to join Canadian confederation. Joey Smallwood was the NCA's chief organizer and spokesman, and led the winning side of the 1948 Newfoundland referendum on Confederation.
Following the referendum victory, the NCA reorganized itself as the new province's Liberal Party under Smallwood's leadership. It won the province's first post-Confederation election for the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly held on May 27, 1949.
The Liberals under Smallwood promoted the diversification of the province's economy through various megaprojects. The provincial government invested in the construction of factories, the pulp and paper industry, the oil industry, hydro-electricity projects, the construction of highways and schools, the relocation of rural villages into larger centres, and other projects. These projects were often very expensive, and yielded few results.
Smallwood led the province virtually unchallenged for two decades, during which he never faced more than eight opposition MHAs. However, by the late 1960s, disaffection with the increasingly autocratic Smallwood and his government mounted within the province. Smallwood brought several younger Liberals into government during this time, but this did little to rebuild his popularity. He announced his retirement in 1969, only to run in the contest to succeed himself. Smallwood defeated John Crosbie for the leadership. Crosbie along with many young Liberals defected to the opposition Progressive Conservatives. The Progressive Conservatives had previously found support largely in the business community, and in and around St. John's.
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