Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I te National Convention o Newfoundland, i whakahe a Higgins ki te whakataunga a Joey Smallwood kia uru atu a Newfoundland ki te Canadian Confederation. I noho ia hei mema matua o te Rōpū Kawanatanga Kawenga me te pakanga ki te whakauru atu ki Kanata i roto i te
1948 Ngā whakataunga o Newfoundland. I te wa i uru atu ai a Newfoundland ki Kanata i te Poutu-te-rangi 31, 1949, ka whakairihia e Higgins he crepe pango ki tona tatau hei tohu mo te tangihanga.