What were the social losses and economic gains that occurred when Newfoundland joined the Canadian Confederation?

Newfoundland had long fought to remain independent, first as self-governing from 1855-1934 and then as a British dominion from 1907-1949. In 1948, Newfoundland voted about whether to join the Canadian Confederation. Other groups in Newfoundland wanted the island to be self-governing or to join an economic union with the United States, which had placed several military installations on the island during World War II. The vote was about 52% in favor and about 48% opposed,...

Newfoundland had long fought to remain independent, first as self-governing from 1855-1934 and then as a British dominion from 1907-1949. In 1948, Newfoundland voted about whether to join the Canadian Confederation. Other groups in Newfoundland wanted the island to be self-governing or to join an economic union with the United States, which had placed several military installations on the island during World War II. The vote was about 52% in favor and about 48% opposed, and Newfoundland became part of the Canadian Confederation in 1949. 

The opposition to joining the confederation was fueled in part by the distinctive identity that many Newfoundlanders felt and that they developed as residents of an island that was separated from Canada. It could be argued that they lost some of this distinctive cultural identity when they joined the confederation, and the modernization that occurred with joining the confederation was detrimental to the culture of some of its outport, or isolated coastal, communities.

However, the island had been suffering economically, particularly during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The island's economy was dependent mainly on fish exports, which provided a poor living a great deal of the time, and the population lacked services such as sufficient medical care. In addition, poverty and malnutrition affected the population because the growing season is short on the island and many types of food need to be imported. During the Great Depression, many people relied on government help when the fish export business declined, and Newfoundland was forced to go from being a dominion to being a colony of Great Britain so that the island could get help. Joining the confederation offered Newfoundland a more secure economic future with generous social programs. Canadian programs played a role in improving medical care and reducing poverty on the island.