Newfoundland + Labrador

TORONTO DEC 5 09 SHANNEYGANOCK & THE FABLES - ALAN DOYLE'S SMILING LAND

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:35:06 GMT

http://www.smilingland.ca/TheEvent/tabid/117/Default.aspx

A Rockin' Big Night

Where: Music Hall at the Masonic Temple
            888 Yonge Street
            Northwest Corner of Davenport and Yonge.
When: Saturday, December 5th, 2009
           Doors Open at 8:00 PM
Who:   SHANNEYGANOCK & THE FABLES FEATURING WONDERFUL D'ARCY BRODERICK & RONNIE POWER (GREAT SINGERS & INSTRUMENTALISTS EX IRISH DESCENDANTS - THE FABLES HAVE BEEN ON TO GO FOR ~ 10 YRS.

Smiling Land is a group of proud Newfoundland and Labradorians, both at home and across the country, who have come together to spread that feeling of joy to the province they love and beyond.

Seven ordinary people with big extra-ordinary plans and the hearts to match. Smiling Land will hold one great big fundraiser annually, for a different Newfoundland and Labrador charity every year.

Smiling Land Foundation is: Jennifer Bishop, Allan Hawco, Alan Doyle, Chris Henley, Seamus O’Regan, Tim Powers and Paul Sparkes.

TORONTO, OTTAWA--(Marketwire - Nov. 9, 2009) - A group of passionate Newfoundland and Labradorians are asking you to plan to sleep in the morning after the Rockin' Big Night, an unforgettable concert and reception December 5th at Toronto's Masonic Temple. All proceeds from the event benefit the Vera Perlin Society and the Stella Bury Foundation in St. John's, NL.

Presented by Smiling Land Foundation, who last year brought you The Great Big Give, this event will be the best kitchen party west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, featuring performances by Newfoundland and Labrador's own, The Fables and Shanneyganock.

Rockin' Big Night

Where: Music Hall at the Masonic Temple (Northwest Corner of Davenport and Yonge)

When: Saturday, December 5th, 2009 (Doors open at 8pm)

Who: The Fables and Shanneyganock

Smiling Land is the product of seven proud Newfoundland and Labradorians who have come together to do something to benefit the province they love and share the spirit of the Rock with the rest of Canada. In 2008, Smiling Land hosted a wildly successful fundraiser for Daffodil Place, a cancer treatment centre in St. John's.

"We're excited to do something positive for our home province and to build on what was a great success last year; we are hoping for a great turnout again this year." says Seamus O'Regan. "This event is about bringing people together and giving back."

About Smiling Land Foundation:

These seven Newfoundland and Labradorians are accomplished and successful individuals in their fields and have worked both in their home province and abroad. They share a love of home and a desire to give back in keeping with the best of Newfoundland's tradition of strong community.

About Vera Perlin Society:

In 1954 Vera Perlin established Newfoundland and Labrador's first classroom for children with developmental disabilities. Today, the Vera Perlin Society delivers career development, employment, community living and administration programs.

The Perlin Centre houses the Society's programming. Proposed renovations will reinvigorate the program and the people it serves, providing a quality home to a much-needed service.

About Stella Bury Foundation:

For 30 years, Stella Burry Community Services (SBCS) has provided counseling and support in a caring atmosphere to marginalized youth and adults, assisting them to develop skills enabling greater autonomy and responsibility for their own lives and to become contributing members of society. With operations situated in St. John's, NL, SBCS serves the entire province with programs that do not exist elsewhere. The organization has been recognized many times both locally and nationally for its work.

Smiling Land Foundation is:

Jennifer Bishop

Jennifer Bishop is a partner in the Business Law Group at the law firm of Miller Thomson LLP, a full service national law firm established in 1957 with offices located in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Markham and Montreal. She specializes in corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on private business transactions including mergers and acquisitions and divestitures. Jennifer is the national chair of Miller Thomson's Women's Leadership Initiative, and is a member of the board of the directors of Live to Give Relief (Dress for Success) and actively involved in fundraising for the Doug Philpott Inner-City Children's Tennis Fund.

Alan Doyle

Alan Doyle is a singer, songwriter from Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. He has produced music for recording artists like Russell Crowe, and The Irish Descendants. He has been the principal music composer for television shows like, "Hatching Matching and Dispatching" and films such as, "Young Triffie." He is best known, however, as the lead singer in the multi-platinum selling band Great Big Sea. Along with his band mates, Alan has sold well over 1 million records and become a major draw at concert venues and festivals in Canada, the US, and Europe.

Allan Hawco

A native of the Goulds, Newfoundland and is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Allan Hawco is one of the country's most exciting young actors.

He has starred in some of the most interesting and acclaimed of recent television dramas including ZOS: Zone of Separation, an eight-part series about the life and death struggle to enforce a United Nations-brokered ceasefire in a middle European country. (Movie Network, 2008). The political thrillers H2O (CBC, 2004) and its sequel Trojan Horse (CBC, 2007) and the World War II drama Above and Beyond (CBC, 2006). He has also just finished shooting a half hour drama pilot for CBC, Republic of Doyle. Hawco wrote, starred and was executive producer of the project.

He appears in a supporting lead in Sir Richard Attenborough's Closing the Ring (2008 nomination Best Film, Irish Film and Television Awards) with Christopher Plummer and Shirley MacLaine.

In 2005, Hawco co- founded and is Artistic Director of The Company Theatre and starred in its inaugural production of Tom Murphy's Whistle in the Dark which met with rave reviews.

Chris Henley

Mr. Henley is the founder and President of Henley Capital Corporation, a limited market dealer specializing in mergers and acquisitions, financing and advisory investment banking services to both public and private companies. He has spent the last 25 years in industry and investment banking financing and advising public and private companies covering the full range of industry sectors and market capitalizations. He is currently a current or former Board member of Transition Therapeutics Inc.; Ontario Transport Capital Corporation -- the developer of Highway 407, the first all-electronic highway in the world; the Advisory Board, Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland; and the board of directors of the Limited Market Dealers Association of Canada. Mr. Henley is also actively involved in a number of annual charitable fundraising initiatives such as The Ultimate Jet Set Experience and is a board member of the Future Focus Foundation and the Smiling Land Foundation. Mr. Henley holds a B.A. from Memorial University, an MBA from Dalhousie University and has completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. In 2006, Mr. Henley received the internationally recognized professional designation ICD.D.

Seamus O'Regan

Seamus O'Regan is the co-host of CTV's Canada AM. He is from St. John's, Newfoundland, and was raised in Goose Bay, Labrador.

He serves on the Boards of The Rooms and The Company Theatre group. He is also an Honourary Advisor to Shallaway -- Newfoundland and Labrador Youth in Chorus.

Tim Powers

Tim Powers is Vice-President of Summa Communications. Originally from St. John's, Newfoundland, Mr. Powers began his career as an assistant and advisor to the Honourable John C. Crosbie, then Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Thereafter, he acted as advisor to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Mr. Powers also served as the Director of Policy and Research to the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

Mr. Powers has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, a Master of Arts degree (Atlantic Canada Studies) from St. Mary's University, and a Master of Sciences degree (Media and Communications) from the London School of Economics. Mr. Powers has also studied Public Sector Management at Harvard University.

Currently, Mr. Powers serves as a lecturer in the Faculty of Communications at the University of Ottawa. Mr. Powers is also a media commentator, appearing frequently on CTV, CTV News Channel and BNN.
Paul Sparkes

Paul Sparkes is the Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, CTVglobemedia.

A graduate of Memorial University, Sparkes is the President and Founding Member of the Smiling Land Foundation. He is also President of the CHUM Charitable Foundation and serves on many Industry and Charitable Boards, including the Banff Television Festival Foundation, the digital television channel Animal Planet, and the One X One Foundation. As part of his involvement with One X One, Sparkes is the leading board member of the First Nations School Nutrition Program, a national outreach initiative designed to provide First Nations children who live in poverty with a school nutrition program.

Prior to joining CTVglobemedia in 2001, Sparkes enjoyed a distinguished career in public service. From 1998-2001 he served as Director of Operations to then Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Jean Chretien and prior to that, he was Special Assistant for Atlantic Canada in the PMO (1996-1998). Also, he served as Executive Assistant to two Premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador; the Honourable Clyde Wells and the Honourable Brian Tobin.

The Fables and Shanneygonock

MUSICNL 09 WINNERS (MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF NL) AWARDS - NOV 15 09

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:27:28 GMT

Among the big winners were Percussionist Curtis Andrews who won Artist of the Year, and Karla Pilgrim received the Country Artist of the Year award. The Once took home four wins: Group of the Year, Album of the Year, Folk Roots Group of the Year, and Rising New Group of the Year. Shanneyganock were named Entertainers of the Year, and Terry Penny was named Songwriter of the Year for his work, "The Town that Time Forgot."http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=2635

I'll provide info on what typoe of music they play in case you want to check them out.

The Once - beautiful harmonies Geraldine Hollett, Phil Churchill (was with comedy group dance party of NL) & Andrew Dale (beautiful instruments also). If you like pure harmonies, you'll love this - self titled album - ballads - done beautifully.

Karla Pilgrim - beautiful new country album

Terry Penney - absolutely beautiful country songs & songs of rememberance - that are sing along kind of songs with deep meaning. I heard him play @ the Rose & Thistle on Sat. (he's from out of town).

Curtis Andrews - African & other drumming. His recording an offering of Curtis Andrews is very high quality beautiful instrumental jazz that everyone would love. He visits Africa for months each yr & moved to vancouver maybe 4 months ago - very high level drummer of various genres.

Shanneyganock - Chris Andrews great vocals & enthusiasm & Nl spirit & Mark Hiscock - old fasioned type voice & accordian - blend well. Way down Yonder in the mior key is wonderful. They're playing in Toronto with the fables - one of our best Irish NL bands on Dec 5 for Alan Doyle's Smiling Land Foundation - I'll make post on that. There are sponsorship opportunities.

SCREECH IN of Conan O'Brien BY NATASHA HENSTRIDGE, A NEWFOUNDLANDER

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:32:10 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Nd_L0jVqiBE#t=26

A Pittance of Time by Terry Kelly

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:09:38 GMT

Does anyone know if any of the GBS boys were involved in Terry Kelly's recording of A Pittance of Time? I've been hearing the song lately (because of Veterans Day) and I know Terry Kelly is from Newfoundland, but wow does the song sound like early GBS!

Anyone??

Thanks!

Christine

The Navigators new CD

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:48:58 GMT

Just wondering if anyone else is going to The Navigators CD release party Oct 22/09 at Club One...I'll be there...

Bob Hallett at Gerald S Doyle Folk Song Festival in Eastport Aug 14-16

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:22:05 GMT

http://www.beachesheritagecentre.ca/doyle-festival.php

If you're going, contact them for tickets - I heard that Sat nt had a waiting list for tickets.

Eastport is beautiful. close to terra Nova Park & has sandy beaches. They will have accommodations available - (I heard thr the winterset people last week.

BTW - their first time for this - they also have an accordian festival & winterset in summer - big literary fest every yr.

I don't have any more info - & I generally only go on GBS when I have something to post.

Tonight in St. John's Calgary's Claymore Celtic band - Thur Oct 29

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:31:41 GMT

Hi everyone - saw Claymore last night & they are playing one last night in St. John's - at the Levvy above Jungle Jims on George St - I'd say starting ~10:30They play lots of lively Trad NL songs - like PADDY MURPHY, EXCURSION, TELL ME MA & lots more. You can sing along & dance half the night - I did.

The Levee is a nice club w pic windows over George St. I highly recommend you check them out. They open for Shaneyganock in Alberts sometime & play clubs - often 350 - 1000 people - so it's a treat to see them at a small club in NL. You guys can take the place - they guys willplay whatever you want & it can be a hoot. Get together or drop down individually - why don't you. kinda like seeing GBS in the early days.

http://www.myspace.com/claymoreclaymore

They have a congenial lead singer, Chris Gieve (guitar) originally from London England, &

Jim Taylor Born in Edmonton (not my fault!), I've lived in a variety of places from outside of Toronto, Ontario to Victoria, B.C. Calgary has been home for the past 15 years or so. I trained classically and have played Eastern European folk and classical music for over 3 decades. Claymore has given me the opportunity to explore Celtic fiddling styles. The guys are great, the music's great, so it must be time for a SOCIABLE!!

Derrek Spencer came to Claymore from the country band "Backwood Revelation." Although he has recent;y cut back on wearing the stetson onstage, he still frequently wears the boots and big belt buckle! Don't let the western duds fool you though, Derrek's family hails from Fortune, Newfoundland and it's influence flows through his veins! Derrek plays mostly bass guitar at the moment, although he is an accomplished lead guitar player, and an aspiring bohdran player.

Bohran Player - originally from Bishops Falls -

http://www.claymoreband.com/

My Paper on Confederation

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:06:28 GMT

This was a paper I had to write last year when I was upgrading my English marks. Enjoy!!

Confederation: Good Idea or Mistake?

On March 31st, 1949, Newfoundland's fate was sealed. A vote had been held, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador had made their choice: to join confederation and become a part of Canada; many believing that it would solve the majority of their problems. Confederation, in this sense was joining the country of Canada. With the exception of federal programs, better schooling and better roads, Newfoundland is no better off as a part of Canada than it was 60 years ago.

How We Got Here

The march towards confederation started years before the final vote was held. In fact in December of 1945, the government in the United Kingdom announced that there would be a national convention- a group of people to help decide Newfoundland's future. This group of people would be chosen by the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, and would help them decide that future. By June of 1946 this group of representatives were chosen, and met the following September. It was not until 1947 that this group of people had decided that they would send a delegation to Ottawa to figure out from the Government of Canada what Newfoundland would stand to receive if they were to join the country of Canada. In May of 1947, this delegation traveled to London to find out the financial relations for each form of government on the ballot: continuation of Commission of Government, a revised form of Commission, and responsible government (http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/NFLDHistory/NewfoundlandJoinsCanada-Confederation.htm).

The first option- under the continuation of Commission of Government would keep the fiscal and financial relations just the way they were. The second option, a revised form of Commission, the amount of responsibility the United Kingdom would have for the financial stability of Newfoundland would be dependent on how revised the Commission would be. The third option, which was responsible government, would make Newfoundland fully responsible for its own finances. After a long debate, the United Kingdom agreed to add Confederation to the ballot so that Newfoundlanders would not be deprived of deciding if Confederation is what they wanted or not.

The first poll of the National Referendum was held on June 3, 1948. None of the governments had an absolute majority in this vote (see Appendix A), so a second vote had to be held. This vote was more decisive (see Appendix A), as 18 of the 25 districts were clearly in favour of the country of Newfoundland joining with the rest of Canada (http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/NFLDHistory/NewfoundlandJoinsCanada-Confederation.htm). Just eight days later, the Prime Minister announced that there was a clear result, and that result showed that Newfoundlanders wanted to be a part of Canada and therefore he accepted Newfoundland as the newest province in the country; official Canadian citizens.

Before The Choice Was Made

Before joining Confederation, Newfoundland was suffering, and the main source of employment for most of the residents was the fishery, and even this offered a poor living. The fact that there was a high birthrate was overshadowed by the fact that there was also a high mortality rate. Compared to the rest of Canada in 1934, Newfoundland's death rate was 12.1 per thousand of the population; the rest of Canada had a death rate of only 9.5 per thousand. Also there were not many hospital beds in Newfoundland; only 450, which averaged out to one bed for every 644 people when a survey was done by the St. John's Rotary Club (http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~melbaker/confederation1949.htm).

When the depression began, the total exports from Newfoundland fell in value from $40 million in 1930 to just $23 million a mere three years later. The value of fishery exports fell by almost $10 million from $16 million to $6.5 million (http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~melbaker/confederation1949.htm). Therefore the amount of people that were living off of the dole increased dramatically.

Once the commission took power, Newfoundland saw many improvements. Education was greatly affected as the commission established a summer school program at Memorial College. They also made textbooks and school supplies available on loan to the students and did their best to try improve the health of the students. The commission also had a great effect on medical services. By 1938, it operated 10 cottage hospitals with a total of 130 beds. When tuberculosis hit in 1938, a new wing was added to the Sanatorium, and a health unit that was mobile was formed so that people in other remote communities could be checked and treated for the disease if anybody in the community did have it(http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~melbaker/confederation1949.htm). But despite these improvements, the fishery was still suffering.

But when the Second World War began, Newfoundland was an important defense base in the Allied War effort, which helped the economy greatly. When World War II was over, it was clear that the economic crisis that had lead Newfoundland to the Commission of Government in the first place was now finally over, and that Newfoundland might be able to go it on it's own once again with any assistance. (http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-2230-e.html). It was then that the British decided to form a group of people to see what the possibilities for Newfoundland's future were. Through many debates and discussions, a referendum was held to decide exactly what Newfoundland's future would be, and Joey Smallwood would play an important part in that future.

The Man Behind It All- Joseph R. Smallwood

One of the most prominent figures of this group of people was Joseph R. Smallwood. It is said that he had a vision for Newfoundland and what he hoped it could achieve by joining Confederation. But Joey made some mistakes as the first premier of the province. One of the biggest mistakes that he made was the Upper Churchill contract with Quebec. Just a few years after joining Canada, he was anxious to make things better for Newfoundlanders, and he talked a lot about the world class hydro electrical potential at Churchill Falls in Labrador. The only problem was that he would need the right to wheel the power across Quebec to get the power to market. Normally that would not have been a problem, but Quebec objected; they said that they would build the transmission line and purchase the power at the Newfoundland/Quebec border, and that they would sell it to the United States. If the Prime Minister had given in and given Newfoundland the right to wheel the power across Quebec, there would have been uproar there, and there was the possibility of Quebec breaking from the rest of Canada.

Therefore, the premier of the youngest province made the decision to not insist on getting the wheeling rights and the contract that he signed is the contract that Newfoundland is still under today (http:///www.fairdealfornewfoundland.com/gildalton/). Quebec's leverage was so great because of it that the term of the contract was extended to continue for 25 more years, and the price of the kilowatts per hour was made less expensive. This contracts now gives Quebec roughly $1 billion a year, with the great possibility of profit continuing to climb, and the amount of money the provinces loses growing greater as well.

The Positives of Confederation

Confederation has helped Newfoundland in many ways. Two such improvements Newfoundland saw were university and better highways. The first benefit of joining was moving into the world as a Canadian province, as Canada was coming into its own after the War. The second benefit that Newfoundland saw as a result of joining Confederation was that there would be economic help for Canada's youngest and newest province, and that they wouldn't have to go it alone if something were to go wrong; surely Canada would have their backs when times were hard, and would not let them down or let them suffer.
(http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080118130117AA5AT69).
The federal government promised that they would give financial assistance and access to Canadian markets, both as buyers and sellers.

How Things Might Have Been

It's hard to say how things could have been different if the vote had gone the other way; the economy might still be struggling, Newfoundland's resources might still become depleted, it's young people might still leave the province for better paying jobs. Even though Newfoundland joined confederation, and it has helped us in some ways, there are other ways that it has hurt the province. So is Newfoundland any better off as Confederation? There is no definitive answer for this question; for some will always maintain that it was a good idea, while others think that we never should have joined in the first place.

Bibliographical References

http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/NFLDHistory/NewfoundlandJoinsCanada-Confederation.htm
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~melbaker/confederation1949.htm
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-2230-e.html
http:///www.fairdealfornewfoundland.com/gildalton/
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080118130117AA5AT69

Appendix A

Results of the first vote (June 3rd, 1948)

Responsible Government 69,400 votes

Confederation 64,066

Continuation of Commission of Government 22,311 votes

Results of the second vote (July 22nd, 1948)

Responsible Government 78,323 votes

Confederation 71, 334 votes

family roots

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:48:37 GMT

Rumor has it the the Clan Shoughrue (various spellings) came from Ireland through New Foundland to Mass. Anyone know of anyone with a last name spelled that way or close?

North Atlantic

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:26:07 GMT

We all have got an idea in our heads that temporarily eats away at us.

In the book/movie THE PERFECT STORM and in real life; what is the name of the shoal south of Newfoundland that the boat has to avoid and/or is named. All I can come up with is panther or leapord but that is not coming up with anything.....

Things to do in St. John's

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:42:00 GMT

Hello,

I am going to be in St. John's for the Juno's in April and have been looking at some websites for some other things to do while I am there. What I'm finding is that most things don't start until May 1st. Like the Haunted Tour and whale watching.

Anybody have any other ideas? I'll be travelling with a minor so George St. is not an option!

Thanks for the help!

Pictures from Cabot Tower/Signal Hill

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:37:56 GMT

Hello! My fiance and I just moved to Paradise, Newfoundland a few weeks ago so that I can attend grad school at MUN (yay, folklore!) We went to Cabot Tower/Signal Hill and these are the pics- http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2048147&id=209101832&l=2a783926bf It was so beautiful, and so totally different than anything we would see in Iowa, where we're originally from. If anyone has been to Newfoundland lately and can think of other neat places for us to go, please let me know-- especially if it's free!

Photos from our 2009 trip

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:21:10 GMT

This year's photos (and videos) are at http://shorock.com/nfld/2009. Come take a look.

40 shillings paid for "new founde land" discovery

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:50:57 GMT

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/shillings+paid+role+discovery+Canada/1937781/story.html

40 shillings paid for role in discovery of Canada

Researchers find William Weston was paid for services on ship that Cabot sailed to the future dominion

By Randy Boswell, Canwest News Service August 28, 2009

After unveiling the identity of an English mariner who led a forgotten expedition to North America in 1499 -- just two years after John Cabot's history-making voyage to Newfoundland in 1497 -- British researchers have found fresh evidence showing what William Weston was paid for his role in the discovery of Canada: 40 shillings.

The latest revelation bolsters the case that Weston -- a previously unknown merchant from the English port city of Bristol -- was aboard the Matthew when it sailed for North America 512 years ago and deserves at least an honourable mention in the opening pages of Canadian history, alongside Cabot himself.

Calling the new find "another piece of the jigsaw" now being assembled by historians, University of Bristol professor Evan Jones told Canwest News Service that the entry in King Henry VII's royal accounts ledger on Jan. 12, 1498 "confirms that Weston and Cabot were closely linked from the start" in England's 15th-century effort to discover and claim new lands across the Atlantic Ocean. And it probably means that, for the first time, historians will be able to name someone other than the Italian-born Cabot as having reached Canada on June 24, 1497 -- the first recorded European landfall in North America since the time of the Vikings.

While it's been known for centuries that Cabot sailed with a crew of about 18 men -- including English sailors, at least two Bristol merchants and a few of the captain's Italian companions -- no other participant in the history-making expedition has ever been identified by name.

"I think we can assume that the payment was either in recognition of the support Weston was providing to Cabot generally," says Jones, "or because he had accompanied Cabot on the 1497 voyage."

The notable lines in the royal ledger, with payments recorded in Roman numerals, are:

"Item to a Venysian in Rewarde -- lxvi s viii d" (66 shillings, 8 pence).

"Item to William Weston of Bristoll -- xl s" (40 shillings).

Jones said the payment to Weston would have been equivalent to about 20 weeks' wages for an average labourer in 1498.

"Not a vast sum of money, but not entirely paltry either," he said, adding that "the real prizes" for leading expeditions to the New World would be "the establishment of a monopoly-controlled route to China, or the exploitation of things like mineral resources in the lands discovered."

The discovery of the king's payment to Weston was made last month by Margaret Condon, the British archivist who had earlier found a letter from the king that revealed a previously unknown, Weston-led voyage to Canada in 1499 -- the year after Cabot disappeared on his second expedition to Newfoundland.

Jones -- who this week has published an article about Henry VII's letter in the journal Historical Research, and is co-ordinating a new scholarly probe into the Cabot-era voyages of discovery -- said the record of a royal payment to Weston offers further proof of his deep involvement in England's overseas expeditions. Significantly, the Weston entry in the king's household book immediately follows another notation -- one that is already well known to Canadian and British historians -- recording payment of 66 shillings, 8 pence to "a Venysian in Rewarde."

Experts have concluded that this entry refers to the Anglo-Italian navigator Cabot, the only citizen of Venice -- or "Venetian" -- in a position at that time to receive such a payment from the English king. "Nobody noted the significance of the payment to Weston that follows it, because nobody knew that Weston was involved in the Bristol voyages," says Jones. "Now, though, we know that he led an expedition in 1499. I think we can assume that this earlier payment was also a reward for engaging in exploration from Bristol."

In a statement issued Thursday by the University of Bristol, which hailed the research findings for shedding light on a key moment in North American history, Jones suggested more discoveries may be on the way. "We knew that our knowledge of the first English expeditions to the New World was very incomplete," he states. "But this is beginning to show just how incomplete it is. Up till now, no one has ever even heard of William Weston."

The Weston story took about 30 years to come to light after Condon's discovery of the Henry VII letter, which described Weston's planned voyage in 1499 to "serche and fynde" the "new founde land" first reached by the Cabot-led expedition of 1497. The find was examined by two top British historians, David Quinn and Alwyn Ruddock, but neither published the revelation before their deaths.

Jones was alerted to Weston's role in the discovery voyages after examining some papers that survived a bizarre order in Ruddock's will -- carried out after her death in 2005 -- that her research notes should be destroyed.

A link to a picture of the letter:

http://www.vancouversun.com/Centuries+letter+reveals+forgotten+expedition+Canada/1933083/story.html

St. John's is as colourful as the people who live there - Nice article‏

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:14:33 GMT

http://www.canada.com/travel/John%20colourful%20people%20live%20there/1885451/story.html

Open the link to see the great pic though.

The fog rolls thick and slow over the hills, whiting out the wooden buildings of town and even the road on a chilly, rainy stretch of coast along Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula.

Given the conditions, we miss the turn for the Ferryland lighthouse, where we're due to share a romantic picnic for two -- ideally outside with whales and 10,000-year-old icebergs floating by. But today's weather doesn't look anything like the brochures. There's no lighthouse in sight against the grey sky. A sign points up a gravel road. It advises we park and prepare for a 20-minute walk. We cinch our rain hoods. This better be good.

Half an hour later, we trudge pass a second parking lot, and realize we're in trouble. The real walk starts now -- a long uphill gravel stretch disappearing into a ridge of trees.

We're hungry and wet, cold and miserable, and by now barely speaking. We don't say it, but we both think it: What on earth made us think this drizzly, sea-thrashed province would be the perfect place for a romantic holiday?

Soaked and defeated, we finally see a white tower in the mist. We despair they're closed, figuring no sensible tourist would venture out in such a squall. We're braced to go back -- at this point, even all the way home. Then we open the door.

A warm puff of fresh baked bread greets us. It's toasty from the ovens. The honey-coloured wood floors and walls gleam. There's a beautiful basket of lemons on the counter, and crusty loaves cooling on racks. Women in floured aprons come out to greet us.

We exchange glances, overcome with relief. We're not just out of the rain, we're home. We relax into the comfort of Newfoundland hospitality as they prepare our gourmet picnic -- rustic brie and ham and vegetarian sandwiches on thick homemade bread, lemony pasta salad and chocolate ganache cake. To complete the serene scene, a two-week-old baby sleeps in the arms of one woman, while the others gather and coo. A lone iceberg bobs outside in the mist.

Owner Jill Curran commiserates about the weather as she fixes us steaming mugs and jokes about life here ("Fort McMurray is the second-largest city in Newfoundland," she quips). This native Newfoundlander felt the pull to return after living abroad. She started the business in 2003 and has been restoring the circa-1870 lighthouse to its former glory after it sat empty for 20 years.

"This was not what I thought I would be doing, but the building was empty for so long and I always thought, what a shame," she recalls.

Curran comes from a long line of lighthouse keepers: Her great-grandfather, John William Costello, was one of Ferryland's last keepers. Today, the building also hosts readings, art classes and music. We linger as long as we can, full and warm. On the way back, the rain pounds harder. We're soaked, but this time, glowing.

Our trek to the lighthouse seems an apt metaphor for an outsider's experience of Newfoundland itself. It takes effort to get under the province's hard crust -- it's often stereotyped as a rugged and windswept rock -- but the rewards are rich. There are many hidden jewels and the people are warm, inviting and full of life. We slowly discover, St. John's and the surrounding towns of the Avalon Peninsula are, in fact, the ideal setting for a little romance on the Rock.

Cheered by our picnic, we set out to explore St. John's, which we discover has come a long way from its reputation as a gritty port city said to be home to the most bars per capita. It's still an authentic Atlantic harbour town, but there's a new gloss of sophistication that makes it an enchanting retreat.

St. John's is Canada's oldest city -- named Sao Joao by the Portuguese in 1519 and annexed by the British in 1583-- and Newfoundland its youngest province. Those contrasts play out throughout our visit.

Tucked into some of the weather-worn storefronts along Water and Duckworth Streets are a string of hot new shops. Browse through Tval's soap store, duck into Posie Row for sweet frocks, Living Planet for edgy Ts or August and Lotta for cutting-edge Icelandic couture.

Uptown, the city's oft fogged-in streets are brightened by wooden paintbox houses that line the roads in a jellybean row. St. John's houses, the tourism board notes, are as colourful as the people who live in them.

Dining in St. John's today is far removed from jiggs dinners -- traditional hearty meals built around a pickled salt beef and vegetable stew. Several sophisticated restaurants thrive in and around the city, some earning national acclaim.

Among them is Atlantica, a 20-minute drive away in Portugal Cove, where the sunsets stream through the large portrait windows and each white-linen table has a view. Atlantica was named Canada's best new restaurant by EnRoute magazine in 2007. Jeremy Charles, its St. John's-raised chef, offers "refined rustic" dishes that lean local with Newfoundland salt cod brandade and Atlantic salmon tartare.

Downtown, you can catch another harbour sunset from the windows of Portobello's, a classic Italian bistro. Or break into the Vault Restaurant and Champagne Bar set in a former bank (Vault's sommelier now keeps fine vintages in the safes), which plates lobster and braised caribou. Blue On Water offers seafood and organic vegetables with a twist, like scallop crepes. After dinner, sip an Iceberg Vodka martini -- made with melted iceberg water -- at The Martini Bar.

End the day in one of the few downtown historic houses that escaped the city's great fire in 1892, a blaze that levelled two-thirds of the town. The Rendell-Shea Manor B&B on Cochrane St. was saved because it was near Government House and city officials feared the fire would spread. Today, the antique-filled inn, named for former St. John's Mayor George Shea, provides an intimate oasis steps from the old city centre. Gourmet breakfasts in the polished wood dining room feature local specialties like partridgeberry pancakes.

Early-bird lovebirds can start the next day with a visit to Cape Spear -- the most easterly point in North America. Snuggle up on the boardwalk and be among the first on the continent to see the sunrise.

Then it's time to join tourists at one of the city's most-visited sites: Signal Hill. Take in the breathtaking views from the former military lookout and communications base. It served as the site of the final battle of the Seven Years War in 1762 and the first transatlantic wireless transmission reception. Sure-footed hikers will enjoy the steep staircases and rocky outcrops -- beware chain rock -- of Signal Hill's North Head trail, which winds for 1.7 kilometres around the peninsula and through the Battery, and old fishing village.

For a gentler hike in nature, stroll around Quidi Vidi Lake, where scullers skim over the mist. We end our walk in Quidi Vidi Village, a tiny historic fishing community, home to the Quidi Vidi microbrewery, which offers tours and tastes of their unique brews, including an Iceberg Beer made with glacial melt water.

On rainy days (and count on a few) explore the city's provincial art gallery and museum, The Rooms. It's so named for the architectural reference the building makes to the community's early fish-processing buildings. Inside, the modern glass gallery houses traditional and modern takes on Newfoundland life -- from exhibits of indigenous peoples' boats and handicrafts to galleries of local artists. A standout exhibit, REPUBLIC, displays local artists' take on what it means to carve out a life on The Rock. A highlight is a neon sculpture in pink and green flashing Have/Not, a sly ode to the province's changing fortunes.

Stop for brunch or lunch in the airy café -- try toutons, Newfoundlanders' fried dough version of pancakes, or mussels steamed in a sauce of the local hooch, Screech.

Or spend an afternoon indulging at the Spa at the Monastery and Suites, a renovated monastery and inn just outside the city that offers Aveda facials, hot stone massage and body wraps and other services as well as day passes to its sea mineral soaking pools, plunge pool, jacuzzis and sauna.

Wind up the day with a whirlpool bath in one of the city's sweetest romantic hideaways. Leaside Manor, a circa-1921 Arts and Crafts heritage home turned B&B, boasts four-poster canopy beds, fireplaces, inlaid wood floors and two-person jacuzzis in rooms decorated with elegant antiques.

Take breakfast in bed and unwind -- just like the honeymooners who book up the luxe suites.

For a day-trip adventure, head outside the city. One of the region's real draws -- besides its mist-swathed lighthouses -- are the whales that arrive to feast on the capelin fish that swarm the shores in summer to spawn. Twenty-two of the 33 species of whales found off Canadian coasts swim these waters and the best way to see them is by boat, cruising the coast amid spectacular views. O'Brien's Whale and Bird Tours in Bay Bulls, about 45 minutes south of St. John's, runs two-hour tours around the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. In season, humpbacks, minkes and fin whales breach the choppy waters, while thousands of sea birds circle the cliffs of the island preserve.

The reserve is home to the largest colony of puffins ("potatoes with wings" our skipper dubbed them) in North America, some half a million strong. Watch the comical birds skip off the water like stones as they try to get airborne, hauling big bellies of fish back to their nests (and their partners -- these loyal birds mate for life).

We spot a minke whale off the bow of The Puffin and follow it until it dives deep into the ocean. Then we sit back and listen as skipper Justin Hawco belts out a rendition of Stan Rogers' "Free in the Harbour," a song lamenting the loss of the province's fishermen, in a fine brogued baritone.

It's just the kind of rich, fluid voice that would lure you, like a siren, into a mysterious fog. But now, having uncovered some of the hidden gems of the new Newfoundland, we don't need luring. We'll be happy to return for another interlude -- even if it means another long trek to the lighthouse -- because this time we'll know what's awaiting us.

If You Go

Plan your trip with these quick clicks:

Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism: www.newfoundlandandlabrador.com

St. John's: www.downtownstjohns.com

The Rooms: www.therooms.ca

Lighthouse Picnics: www.lighthousepicnics.ca

Leaside Manor: www.leasidemanor.com.

Rendell-Shea Manor: www.rendellshea.com

Atlantica Restaurant: www.newfoundlandgetaway.com

O'Brien's Boat Tours: www.obriensboattours.com

Further Afield

Newfoundland also has a lot to offer nature lovers:

- More than 35 million seabirds soar over Newfoundland's shores. Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve is home to more than 65,000 birds including Northern gannets, kittiwakes, common mures and great cormorants

- The East Coast Trail, the most easterly hiking trail in North America, winds 540 kilometres through 30 coastal communities.

- At the other end of the province, Gros Morne National Park is the place to see rugged landscapes 20 times older than the Rockies.

- In Newfoundland's north, L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site is the only authentic Viking settlement in North America.

Note: The Vault Restaurant is closed now.

http://www.facebook.com/NewfoundlandLabradorTourism?ref=nf Taken from the wonderful facebook group - You should join. They only update maybe 2X a week - & always wonderful content. Enjoy.

Newfoundland Photos

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:14:19 GMT

OKP'er's,

I'm not sure why i haven't thought of this before but here are some photos that I took all over my home province - Newfoundland.

Enjoy!

Cheers!

Dave "the NFLD'er"

Boat in Beachside:

Bonavista Lighthouse:

Looking down at the Narrows - St.John's:

Sign on top of Signal Hill:

Iceberg in Witless Bay:

Cape Spear:

Signal Hill at Night:

Fling out the Flag - Cape Bonavista:

Western Brook Pond - Gros Morne:

Iceberg in Bonavista:

New Bonaventure:

Lobster Cove Head Lightouse - Rocky Harbour:

Gros Morne:

The Arches:

Sunset near Cow Head:

Tablelands:

Homemade Mitts - Trout River:

Tranquility in Jackson's Cove:

Miles Cove:

Labrador Pictures Underwater Adventures - from 2008 Ocean Quest

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:49:27 GMT

http://www.facebook.com/NewfoundlandLabradorTourism?ref=nf#/photo.php?pid=2736174&id=91329835905

Dog pulls boat ashore

http://www.facebook.com/photo_comments.php?id=91329835905#/photo.php?pid=2736828&id=91329835905 Whale from below the surface - diving in Labrador

http://www.facebook.com/photo_comments.php?id=91329835905#/photo.php?pid=2783266&id=91329835905 Wolfish & Lobster

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conception-Bay-South-NL/Ocean-Quest-Adventure-Resort/91329835905

Ocean Quest Adventure on Facebook - incl underwater diving & expedition Pics

http://www.facebook.com/photo_comments.php?id=91329835905#/photo.php?pid=2495036&id=91329835905 Eel Pout

http://www.facebook.com/photo_comments.php?id=91329835905&s=40&hash=3fd62ad81716e044a2d183197a9494d0#/photo.php?pid=2422886&id=91329835905 Capelin

Non Music related serious play @ The Rooms in St. John's on Monday night

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:11:11 GMT

http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=280220&sc=84

Play is quite well known - serious topic - fictional writing - food for thought.

The cast for Monday's reading includes Kevin Lewis as Berish, Bridget Wareham as his daughter Hannah and Clar Doyle as the stranger/the devil. Also reading are Jacki St. Croix, Justin Madol, Mark Power, Jonathan Lewis and Kevin Foley. Kevin Lewis is also directing the reading.

Going to Newfoundland from June 20-30, anything interesting going on?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:09:26 GMT

I guess this is also my first post in the community. I'm from Saskatchewan and am heading to St. John's and surrounding area for 10 days (June 20-30). I am wondering if there is anything special going on during this time and must do things in Newfoundland.

This is my first time visiting the rock and I am really excited. I lived in Nova Scotia for 5 years back in the 90's but never made it to Newfoundland.

Any help would be great! I am super pumped to go!

I'll probably post pictures of the trip when I get home.

Screeched into love in St. John's - Rebecca Kohler from Weekend (National) Post Aug 14 09

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:13:50 GMT

http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=1893700

Screeched into love in St. John's - Rebecca Kohler from Weekend (National) Post Aug 14 09

To inspire the many schoolchildren who will soon have to pen the inevitable What I Did On My Summer Vacation essays, we present a summer-ending series of true-life tales.

I was recently required to go to St. John's for work. I didn't want to go because now that Newfoundland is a "have" province and we here in Ontario live in a "have-not" province, I was jealous of it the way I was jealous of my friend Rachel in Grade 7 when she developed breasts and I had yet to (sorry, have yet to). It's not that I really understand the whole have/have not thing; when people bring up equalization payments, I begin nodding. But I know it's bad for us and good for them and I'm a petty person. I went in with the attitude that Newfoundland was our enemy and its citizenry a dumb, drunken army. I tried, with every Torontonian fibre in my body, to dislike the place. I tried.

The first Newfoundlander I met was sitting next to me on the plane. A nurse in her early 50s, it wasn't five minutes before she was telling me jokes - dirty jokes. On her way to see her ailing mother in a small town outside of St. John's, my seatmate was not letting life's horns prod her spirit. "What do you call a lesbian?" she asked. "What?" I said, and she told me a punchline that sadly can't be shared in a family newspaper. I found myself refreshed by her unabashedly politically incorrect play-on-words. In Toronto, everything we say is being analyzed by the Appropriateness Police. Perhaps what made this woman's jokes acceptable was that you knew there wasn't a bad bone in her body - that if she were to encounter a funny-word-for-lesbian in need of assistance, she would be the first in line to help. She was one of those people who made you happy to be alive, like Gandhi or Cher.

I tried to shake off the fact that I'd liked my first Newfoundlander; it was probably just the high altitude, I thought. Once landed, I took a stroll down Water Street, the oldest street in North America. I found myself perplexed as to why people were looking at me and smiling. Did I have lobster in my teeth? Toilet paper on my shoe? I checked myself in a storefront window to find nothing amiss with my appearance (aside from my face, but it always looks that way). I continued walking. Still, the smiles. And then the most shocking thing of all: Hellos. People were smiling at me and saying hello! It was a strange thing to get used to. In Toronto, if you make eye contact and smile at someone on the street, they grimace and look away as if they were in the middle of a rectal exam and you were the doctor. It was nice to not feel alone in public, especially as a single woman who lives with a cat.

What really struck me was the Newfoundland sense of identity. They are proud of where they come from and take an interest in their roots and history. When one visits Newfoundland, it is customary to get Screeched In. When I found out that this had nothing to do with the TV series Saved By the Bell, I decided to partake. Being Screeched In means you have undergone a traditional ceremony (no lambs are slaughtered), after which you become an honorary Newfoundlander. The ritual consists of kissing a cod (just a peck, no tongue) and ingesting a shot of Screech (Newfoundland's own rum, which smells like rubbing alcohol and tastes even better!). The man who administered mine had a long ponytail and an even longer beard. He was dressed in a black slicker and rainhat. I kissed the fish, drank the juice and presto! I was one of them. I tried to think of what the equivalent would be in Toronto. How would we Screech them In? Maybe we would give them a half-pint of Steam Whistle, get them a job with the city and encourage them to complain about their benefits?

The Screech must have gotten to me. That night I had a dream about Danny Williams. He'd shaved his head, was wearing gold chains and insisted I refer to him as Daddy Warbucks. He told me to tell Dalton McGuinty he was sorry he'd had to turn him down for the role of Annie in his province-wide play but that if David Miller was interested, he could play Sandy, the dog. He was holding canvas bags with dollar signs on them and when he spoke, oil came out of his mouth. I awoke in a cold sweat.

The next morning, I went to Signal Hill to collect my thoughts. Signal Hill overlooks St. John's and the Atlantic Ocean - it's beautiful. With the colourful houses, it's as if a five-year-old Diego Rivera had been given a box of crayons to paint the city from afar. I met a man with a dog, a Newfoundland dog to be specific; it was almost as big as me (I am an adult human), with a thick black coat and a gentle disposition. I liked the man and I liked the dog and I finally came to accept the fact that I liked where I was. Newfoundland is not only a have province, it is a have-it-all province. If these people are dumb, I want to be dumb. I feel for us, here in Ontario with our collapsed auto industry and our hands out to the feds, but hey: Maybe all those years of being have-nots helped Newfoundlanders become proud, resilient and fun. Maybe we could use this time to find the have in have-not.

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logo for Junos St. John's 2010

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:34:24 GMT

Courtesy of VOCM:

Thought this was pretty cool!

NL PHOTOS FROM LOCAL PROTOGRAPHERS INCL ST. JOHN'S PHOTOWALK

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:29:32 GMT

St. John's Photowalk + other NL & a few other photos http://www.flickr.com/groups/scott-kelbys-worldwide-photowalk-st_johns/pool/show/

Latest one was July 18, 2009 - quality shots here - give a great idea about St. John's + some other sites. I ran into one of these photographers & he was on Water street & he (& he said hots of others were going around w plastic bags over their camera's - because it was a scheduled 1 day worldwide - so quite cool to get pics of St. John's before, during & after the rain). The shuffle demons were here for the jazz fest & they had to delay their outside shuffle for a few hrs 'cause of the rain.

Jim Fidler (former member of Rankin Street with Sean & Bob) on Radio August 6th

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:49:45 GMT

Tune in to The Morning Show in St. John's CBC Radio NL (on from 6-9 AM NL time which is 4:30 - 7:30 AM EDT) Jim will be interviewed about his brandly new CD - Revolution Time

Put on your dancin' shoes and get ready for a night of great roots, rock and certainly reggae!

Roots Cellar Productions proudly presents:
Revolution Time - Jim Fidler CD Launch

Jim Fidler's long awaited reggae CD, Revolution Time is finally here. Since co-founding The Part-Time Reggae Band (PTR) in 1987 and subsequently founding the group Pressure Drop, Jim has been busy working on a vast array of projects. Revolution Time takes him back to his reggae roots. We will be celebrating the launch of this stunning new CD on the evening of Thursday, August 6th at The Rock House on George Street.

An impressive array of Jim's musical friends will take to the stage to get you movin' and keep you movin' all night:

Colleen Power
Anne Devine
The Terri Lynn Eddy Band
The Gene Rippers
The Discounts (featuring Skank)
and, of course, Jim Fidler
with 'The Master' of Ceremonies: Xavier Georges

Anne

St. John's Events on Facebook

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:04:03 GMT

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php#/group.php?gid=47127019889

Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism on Facebook - exceptional site

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:54:09 GMT

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=644676986&ref=profile#/NewfoundlandLabradorTourism?ref=mf Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism on Facebook - updates Upcoming Festivals and Events (across the province) every week.