The proposed changes do make more sense than the existing ridings (and yes, Burin-Ramea-St. George's is especially hilarious).
I think the problem with mapping ridings in Newfoundland is that, while the rural population is so small, their villages and towns are among the oldest in North America.
Burin and St. George's, for example, have had centuries to develop along completely different lines. One is a formerly important town, struggling with a collapsed fishery, and relying on Marystown's shipbuilding industry to stay alive at all right now; the other has always had a very small population and been primarily concerned with agriculture.
And, most importantly, the people don't feel connected.
Take the proposed ridings, for example:
Bay D'Espoir-Central-Notre Dame, for example. Harbour Breton has FAR more in common with Grand Bank in the neighbouring Bonavista-Burin-Trinity riding than it does with Grand Falls-Windsor, the largest community in its own riding.
Bonavista and Trinity have far more in common with the communities in the Avalon riding than they do with the Burin Peninsula, which accounts for half of their riding.
And, come on... Port-aux-Basques and St. Anthony in the same riding?
It's necessary to have these huge districts because the population is so small but... wow... brutal.