Canadian Confederation was the process by which three British North American provinces—the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—were united into one federation called the Dominion of Canada, on July 1, 1867.

On March 31, 1949, it became the 10th and most recent province to join the Canadian Confederation as “Newfoundland”.

How’s this for an explanation? Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas were from Canada and on Second City TV or SCTV (Toronto calls itself the New York of Canada, hence “Second City” as New York I so often referred toas just “the City”). They did a bit called “Bob&DougMcKenzie, the McKenzie Brothers”, and told Newfie jokes. Yes, the Polish jokes of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador being so far out into the North Atlantic and peopled by, well, just fishermen (and women). The bit eventually found its way onto Saturday Night Live.

I have been collecting the stamps of Newfoundland for forty years. The last were issued in 1948 and then of course they began using Canadian stamps. So believe it or not I came up with my OWN Newfie joke:

“Why did Newfoundland remain a Crown Colony separate from Canada from the founding of the Canadian Confederation on July 1,1867 until 1949?

Answer: Canada didn’t want them……………”

Every July 1^st I send my Canadian friends a greeting for Canada Day which they celebrate like our July 4^th as the founding of their modern nation.  Click on the picture to see an Episode of the McKenzie Brothers.