CBC Newfoundland Morning

On Monday, April 8th one of the rarest events in our natural world will happen - and much of this province will have a front-row seat for the show. That's because at around 5 pm that day, there will be a total solar eclipse. It's something that we won't get a chance to see for another 50 years. Hilding Neilson is assistant professor in the department of physics and physical oceanography at Memorial University. Kathryn White is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Harris Centre at Grenfell Campus of Memorial.

If you want to witness some top-tier hockey talent, Corner Brook is one place to do that this coming weekend. The Under-18 triple-A female Atlantic Championship is taking place. The tournament features players at the highest level of minor hockey from across Atlantic Canada. For organizers, this event has been a long time coming.

There are a lot of different, and sometimes complicated, views around confederation. There's no doubt that Newfoundland and Labrador gained a lot by joining Canada but for many, there were things lost, too. The multi-disciplinary group Opera on the Avalon has spent the last two years looking at Confederation from all angles. It's created a moving project called 75 x 75 which kicked off this weekend. Cheryl Hickman is the general and artistic director.

A lot of people in this province don’t remember a time before confederation, and that is especially true for the children of Newfoundland and Labrador. But what do some of the youngest people of our province know about confederation and how do they feel about being Canadian? CBC’s Amy Feehan headed over to Pasadena Place to get some answers. 

Joey Smallwood's hope that no one would doubt the success of Confederation in the future. But, 75 years later, that's not the consensus. For Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous people in this province, the Terms of Union between Newfoundland and Canada did not mention them at all. That's in spite of the fact that census data from as early as 1921 show that there were people on the island who identified as Mi'kmaw. Calvin White is a Mi'kmaw elder in Flat Bay. He was 6 years old at the time of Confederation, and has helped lead the struggle of Newfoundland Mi'kmaw to seek recognition as an adult.

People from this province are usually proud to be from here. And there was a time when most people considered themselves Newfoundlanders and Labradorians first, and Canadians second. That's something that Shannon Conway knows a lot about. Partly because she's a Newfoundlander herself, but also in her role with the Gorsebrook Research Institute for Atlantic Canadian Studies. 

Monday is the 75th anniversary of confederation, a pivotal moment in the history of Newfoundland. It took a lot of work to get to, whether you agreed with it or not! In the year leading up to confederation, delegates from Newfoundland and Canada spent months negotiating the terms under which the two countries would unite. In the end, they agreed on fifty Terms of Union. Some became obsolete within the decade, but a few are still influencing society today. So, on the platinum anniversary of Confederation with Canada, reporter Leigh Anne Power takes a look back at the terms and their relevance.

The Wreckhouse area of the TCH has seen its share of high winds already this year. At least two tractor trailers have blown over there just this month. Last week, Frank Aucoin, a Codroy Valley senior, told us there should be a barricade at peak wind gusts to stop traffic until winds die down. We spoke with Stan Reid and Curtis Cutler, commercial truckers whose travels take them through the Wreckhouse.

Some people consider themselves dog or cat people, while others love smaller furry friends. Sarah Hedges of Grand Falls-Windsor has been running Central Small Animal Rescue out of her home for nearly five years. Unfortunately, she had to make the hard decision to close temporarily, due to high costs and lack of space. Hedges spoke with Newfoundland Morning's Amy Feehan.

For the past 72 years, adult theatre companies in Newfoundland and Labrador have gathered for a competitive drama festival. This year, seven groups — from Labrador West to St. John's — will converge in Gander during Easter week for the Annual Provincial Drama Festival. CBC's Hillary Johnson spoke with husband-and-wife duo Randy and Lynn Sooley. Lynn is the president of Gander's theatre group, Avion Players, and Randy is the co-chair of this year's event.