<P> Three main factions actively campaigned during the leadup to the referendums . Smallwood led the Confederate Association (CA), advocating union with the Canadian Confederation . They campaigned through a newspaper known as The Confederate . The Responsible Government League (RGL), led by Peter Cashin, advocated an independent Newfoundland with a return to responsible government . Their newspaper was The Independent . A third, smaller Economic Union Party (EUP), led by Chesley Crosbie, advocated closer economic ties with the United States . Though a 1947 poll found 80% of Newfoundland residents wanting to become Americans, the EUP failed to gain much attention, and merged with the RGL after the first referendum . </P> <P> The first referendum took place on June 3, 1948; 44.6% of people voted for responsible government, 41.1% voted for confederation with Canada, while 14.3% voted for Commission of Government . Since none of the choices had gained over 50%, a second referendum with only the two more popular choices was held on July 22, 1948 . The official outcome of that referendum was 52.3% for confederation with Canada and 47.7% for responsible (independent) government . </P> <P> After the referendum, a seven - man delegation was picked by the British governor to negotiate Canada's offer on behalf of Newfoundland . After six of the seven - man delegation signed, the British Government passed the British North America Act, 1949 through Parliament . Newfoundland officially joined Canada at midnight, March 31, 1949 . </P> <P> As documents in British and Canadian archives came available in the 1980s, it became clear that both Canada and the United Kingdom wanted Newfoundland to join Canada . Some have charged that it was a conspiracy to manoeuvre Newfoundland into Confederation, in exchange for forgiveness of Britain's war debt and for other considerations, but most historians who have examined the government documents have concluded that while Britain engineered the inclusion of Confederation in the referendum, Newfoundlanders made the final decision themselves although it was a close vote . </P>

When did newfoundland become a province of canada