Governance

Part 3 of the "Nothing to do with Land" series. A quiet edit on social media exposed the larger truth behind Newfoundland’s latest self‑government rhetoric. When Penwaaq L’nu’k’s public post shifted from saying self‑government had “nothing to do with land” to declaring “we already have a land base,” the language itself became evidence of a jurisdictional pivot. This essay unpacks how that subtle rewording transformed private, corporately held property into the appearance of recognized Indigenous territory, despite no legal standing under Section 35 or the Indian Lands Registry. It situates the change within a broader pattern of narrative management—where reassurance gives way to redefinition—and traces how the same strategy has appeared in Labrador, the Qalipu enrolment process, and other soft‑sovereignty frameworks. Beneath the calm phrasing lies the blueprint for an evolving claim to authority on the Port au Port Peninsula. Read More...

Part 2 of the "Nothing to do with Land" series. This article exposes how self-government frameworks in Newfoundland are quietly constructed long before public consultation begins. Through funding streams labeled “capacity building” and “governance readiness,” Ottawa lays the legal and administrative groundwork without ever invoking the word “land.” Using federal programs, REDBs, and cultural grants, it shows how culture is transformed into jurisdiction behind closed doors. Drawing on academic sources and recent examples from western Newfoundland, the piece argues that what locals believe is “just heritage” is often the first phase of a full governance framework under Section 35. In the end, it reveals how bureaucratic silence becomes a form of legal consent—and why public denial only accelerates the plan. Read More...

This article investigates how a little-known Newfoundland regulation—NLR 29/24—was quietly drafted in response to Tent City protests, then used against a 2024 fishing boat demonstration. It traces how moral protest over homelessness, food insecurity, and water rights was absorbed into administrative procedure and regulatory enforcement. Drawing on academic insights from Guo and Hogan, it reveals how Newfoundland’s dependency-driven governance system reframes dissent as a deliverable, and how both Left and Right use the same bureaucratic machinery to suppress public disruption. Ultimately, it argues that protest in Newfoundland is not silenced—it is funded, formatted, and contained. Read More...

In October 2025, a Facebook page tied to Benoit First Nation and Jasen Benwah — Penwaaq L’nu’k – Kji-Wikuom — assured readers that “self-government has nothing to do with private or Crown lands.” It’s a comforting line, but legally false. Every self-government framework in Canada is rooted in land, because once the federal government recognizes a community under section 35, the discussion automatically moves into Crown-land jurisdiction.This piece explains why Newfoundland’s situation is no exception, and how the recent Cowichan Tribes v. Canada ruling in British Columbia shattered the idea that private property sits beyond Indigenous title. As the courts redefine ownership and governments scramble to catch up, the gap between “theory” and “fact” isn’t measured in years anymore — sometimes, it’s only a few hours. Read More...

This article examines how political extremes have become the “new normal” in Newfoundland and Labrador, tracing their roots to fiscal bailout politics, the cod fishery collapse, and decades of boom–bust resource cycles. Economist Xinli Guo shows how soft budget constraints normalize fiscal brinkmanship, while Jessica Hogan’s comprehensive research links memories of the cod collapse, hydro megaproject overruns, mining bankruptcies, and offshore oil volatility to a cultural mindset of “sceptical optimism.” Combined with entrenched patronage politics and weak local institutions, these forces recast consensus as compliance and dissent as disloyalty, leaving communities trapped in cycles of hope and betrayal. The article argues that extremes are not random outbursts but systemic outcomes of Newfoundland’s political economy, and that naming this “unhinged” playbook is the first step toward restoring trust in moderation. Read More...