Parades and Protest

  1. Why did Pierce Power decide to have a parade on January 10?

  2. At a meeting of the unemployed, Pierce Power told the crowd, "I say that a man has no business to live when he cannot pose as a free man." What do you think he meant by this?

  3. Detective Mahoney looked into some of the Unemployed Committee's complaints. What did he find?

  4. Pierce Power became convinced that parades could help improve the conditions of the unemployed. What made him so sure?

The Riot of 1935

  1. Why did Sir John Hope Simpson agree to meet with Pierce Power and the Unemployed Committee before Jubilee Day?

  2. Why did the Unemployed Committee decide to hold a parade on May 10?

  3. What caused the riot?

  4. After the riot, the Unemployed Committee broke up. Why do you think they gave up their protests?

  5. In 1936 Pierce Power told a crowd, "Get yourselves together and make history. Don't let history make you." What do you think he meant?

The Trial

  1. The trial of Pierce Power was an exciting one. How did the story of the police differ from the story of the defence?

  2. How would you describe Pierce Power's life and death? Do you think he was a hero or a trouble maker?

A Place in History

  1. This chapter tries to explain and describe the life of Pierce Power. What do you think was the "message" of the young worker?

  2. The author of this story thinks Pierce Power is not in any history books because he challenges a popular idea about Newfoundlanders. Discuss this idea and the author's claims.

  3. What would Pierce Power be making speeches about if he were alive in Newfoundland today?