An Untidy Package: Women and the Newfoundland Cod Moratorium

This documentary dispels the myth that Newfoundland women were not significant contributors to the cod fishery prior to the moratorium. It highlights that one third of the 35,000 workers displaced by the moratorium were women, emphasizing their vital role in the industry.

Through the perspectives of these women, An Untidy Package examines the cod crisis and its effects on families in Newfoundland. The film addresses federal compensation and the narrative surrounding how these women’s claims were often misrepresented as merely supplementary to their husbands’ claims. This documentary serves as an important historical record of women's contributions in a predominantly male industry.