First
elected to Newfoundland’s House of Assembly in 1882, Robert
Bond
served as a member of government and opposition—and notably
as
prime minister—in an era filled with challenges that still
resonate
today. During three turbulent decades, St. John’s
burned
down,
the banks failed, and the drive for economic diversification
caused
difficult problems (and included railway building, the century’s favoured
mega-project). As for external affairs—Bond struggled
to
negotiate reciprocity with the United States, to navigate tricky
issues
concerning the French Shore and to deal successfully with imperial
powers
in London whose priorities could vary greatly from
those
in Newfoundland.
