The Newfoundland People's Party was a political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland before it joined Canada.
Several political groupings functioned in the Dominion of Newfoundland under the name Liberal Party of Newfoundland from the granting of responsible government to the island in the 1850s until its suspension in 1934 when the Commission of Government was instituted. During that period, Newfoundland was an independent dominion within the British Empire, responsible for its own internal affairs.
The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador is governed by a unicameral legislature, the House of Assembly, which operates under the Westminster model of government. The executive function of government is formed by the Lieutenant Governor, the premier and his or her cabinet. The politics of Newfoundland and Labrador is defined by a long history, liberal democratic political institutions and a unique political culture.
The 29th Newfoundland general election was held on 11 June 1932 to elect members of the 28th General Assembly of Newfoundland. This vote proved to be the final general election held by the Dominion of Newfoundland. As a result of a riot which occurred in 1932 due to Newfoundland's deteriorating economic situation, Prime Minister Sir Richard Squires dissolved the House of Assembly and called an election. His Liberals were reduced to two seats while Frederick C. Alderdice's United Newfoundland Party won 24 seats and was elected to government. The size of the House was reduced from 40 to 27 as an economy measure.
The Fishermen's Union Trading Company (F.U.T.C.), a limited liability company, was founded in 1911 to be the commercial arm of the Fishermen's Protective Union (FPU). Its mandate, as set out by William Coaker, founder of the FPU, was to be the agent for cooperative purchasing of supplies by fishermen along the coast of Newfoundland and to also serve as a cooperative marketing agent of their fish catches.
The Fishermen's Protective Union was a workers' organisation and political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland. In many ways, the development of the FPU matched that of the United Farmers movement in parts of Canada.
The 16th Newfoundland general election was held on 31 October 1885 to elect members of the 15th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Reform Party had been created by Robert Thorburn on a platform of "Protestant Rights" after supporters of the Orange Order abandoned the Whiteway government after sectarian riots in 1885 against the government's 'denominational compromise'. Whiteway's Conservative Party was destroyed as a result and Whiteway founded a new Liberal Party. Thorburn's new party swept to power but soon turned away from its sectarian agenda by inviting Catholic Liberals into the Cabinet.
The 17th Newfoundland general election was held on 6 November 1889 to elect members of the 16th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Reform Party administration of Robert Thorburn was defeated in favour of the Liberal Party led by William Whiteway formed the government. Reform soon disappeared and was replaced by the Orange Order based Tory Party. This was the first general election held in Newfoundland using the secret ballot.
The 18th Newfoundland general election was held on 6 November 1893 to elect members of the 17th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. Although the Liberals won the majority of seats, the Tory party filed petitions against 15 elected Liberals and one Independent, James Murray, alleging election irregularities. The results of those elections were set aside by the courts and the candidates were barred from seeking reelection. The Tory Party, led by Augustus F. Goodridge, temporarily holding the balance of power, formed a government in 1894. Once the resulting by-elections had been held, the Liberals regained the balance of power and formed a government led by Daniel J. Greene. Greene's government passed legislation allowing candidates who had been disqualified to seek election again. William Whiteway was subsequently reelected in a by-election in early 1895 and became Premier.
The 23rd Newfoundland general election was held on 8 May 1909 to elect members of the 22nd General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Newfoundland People's Party led by Edward P. Morris, having secured a majority, formed the government.
The 24th Newfoundland general election was held on 30 October 1913 to elect members of the 23rd General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Liberal Party led by Robert Bond formed a coalition with the Fishermen's Protective Union led by William Coaker. Although the majority held by the Newfoundland People's Party was reduced in this election, it was again returned to power and Edward P. Morris continued to serve as Prime Minister of Newfoundland. A general election originally scheduled for 1917 was deferred until 1919 because of World War I. After Morris retired from politics in 1918, William F. Lloyd, a Liberal member of the Executive Council, was asked to form a government. In May 1919, Michael Patrick Cashin, the leader of the People's Party, introduced a motion of no confidence which resulted in the defeat of the government. Cashin served as Newfoundland prime minister until the election held later in 1919.
The 26th Newfoundland general election was held on 3 May 1923 to elect members of the 25th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Liberal Reform Party, an alliance between the Liberals led by Richard Squires and the Fishermen's Protective Union of William Coaker, formed the government. The Liberal-Labour-Progressive party, now led by William J. Higgins, formed the opposition. Squires was forced to resign as Prime Minister in 1923 after allegations of corruption were brought forward. William Warren became Liberal Reform Party leader and Prime Minister. After Warren's government was defeated following a motion of no confidence, Albert Hickman was asked to form a government and Warren joined Higgins in a new Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party.
The 27th Newfoundland general election was held on 2 June 1924 to elect members of the 26th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Liberal-Progressives and Liberal-Conservative Progressives were new parties formed as a result of the collapse of the ruling Liberal Reform Party. The Liberal-Conservative Progressives were led by Walter Stanley Monroe and won the election weeks after the party's creation. During his time in office, Monroe alienated a number of his supporters: Peter J. Cashin, F. Gordon Bradley, C. E. Russell, Phillip F. Moore, Lewis Little and H.B.C. Lake, who all defected to the opposition Liberal-Progressive Party. In 1926, universal suffrage was introduced in Newfoundland: women over the age of 25 were allowed to vote. Monroe was replaced by Frederick C. Alderdice as Prime Minister in August 1928.
The 28th Newfoundland general election was held on 2 June 1928 to elect members of the 27th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Dominion of Newfoundland. The Liberal Party led by Richard Squires defeated the Conservative Party led by Frederick C. Alderdice and formed the government with the support of Fishermen's Protective Union members. Legislation had been introduced so that persons named to the Executive Council were no longer required to run for reelection. Helena E. Squires, elected in a 1930 by-election, became the first woman elected to the Newfoundland assembly.
Archibald Targett was a tinsmith and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Trinity Bay in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1913 to 1923 as a member of the Fishermen's Protective Union.
The members of the 25th General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in May 1923. The general assembly sat from 1923 to 1924.
The members of the 27th General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in June 1928. The general assembly sat from 1928 to 1932.
