Not a Nation? (Or Does Newfoundland Nationalism Make Historical Sense?)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 7:30 pm
Inco Innovation Centre, Memorial University

Click here to listen to an audio recording of the session

Not a Nation! (Or Why Newfoundland Nationalism Doesn't Make Historical Sense)

Click here for the poster and program

Godfrey Baldacchino, Sean Cadigan and David Cochrane

Nationalistic fervour is awakening in Newfoundland and Labrador. Buoyed by oil wealth and encouraged by Federal-Provincial wrangling, some are waving the Pink-White-and-Green flag and envisioning a future unencumbered by Confederation.

Is this neo-nationalistic rhetoric useful, or does it instead distract us from the main issues? Does it provide a useful vehicle for mobilizing public support, or can it unleash an unhealthy division within society? Does it even make sense in a historical context?

This discussion was led by:

  • Dr. Sean Cadigan, associate professor of History at Memorial University and author of Newfoundland and Labrador: A History
  • Dr. Godfrey Baldacchino, a professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, specializing in governance of sub-national island jurisdictions
  • David Cochrane, Provincial Affairs Reporter for CBC in Newfoundland and Labrador