People of my parents' generation used to recite at parties, etc., where others would sing. A favourite author in Canada was Robert Service, another was William Henry Drummond (my mother had several Drummond poems in her repertoire).

Drummond is out of favour these days because he wrote in French-Canadian dialect. My own feeling is that he wrote with affection and interest, not to put down or make fun of franco-Ontarians. However, anybody reciting Drummond nowadays has be prepared to defend him against a certain amount of hostility.

A couple of good sources of Newfoundland material for recitations would be Ted Russel (he wrote poems as well as stories) and Lem Snow.