CANADA: Newfoundland

Dwight Peterson says: "Most people are proud of where they come from and even eager to tell people who they are. Canadians rightfully resent being lumped together with "North Americans" as citizens of the same country. Most of this comes, I think, from the fact that our Anglo populations speak almost exactly the same language. Canadians will talk aboot going oot of the hoose and returning to sit on the chesterfield but to the uninitiated they sound just like us; thus the confusion. [Some Canadians talk like that. RH.]

In my younger days I spent over a year of military service in Newfoundland. A Newfie was always the brunt of Canadian jokes just as the Polak is to us. Newfoundland is a beautiful Province but they speak a mishmash of English which is totally home grown...very British accented and a lot of French thrown in for good measure".

My note: I suppose Dwight was defending us and the US at a base there. Newfoundland controls the entrance to the St. Lawrence, the island to the south and Labrador to the north. The iron ore of Labrador is an important source of wealth. In 1949 the people to join Canada as its tenth province, but it preserves its personality.

Ronald Hilton - 7/17/02