General Assembly of Nova Scotia
The General Assembly of Nova Scotia is the legislature of the province of Nova Scotia. It consists of one or more sessions and comes to an end upon dissolution (or constitutionally by the effluxion of time — approximately five years) and an ensuing general election. Today, the unicameral legislature is made up of two elements: the lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada)[1] and a legislative assembly called the House of Assembly. The legislature was first established in 1758.
General Assembly of Nova Scotia | |
|---|---|
| 64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | |
| Type | |
| Type |
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| Houses |
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| Sovereign | The lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada) |
| History | |
| Founded | 1758 |
| Meeting place | |
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| Province House, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | |
Like at the Canadian federal level, Nova Scotia uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which members are elected to the House of Assembly in general elections and the leader of the party with the confidence of the Assembly (normally the party with the most seats) becomes the premier of Nova Scotia and chooses the Executive Council from amongst the party's members of the Assembly. Government is carried out in the name of the king, represented by the lieutenant governor, acting on the advice of the Executive Council (the Governor in Council).
The legislature was originally bicameral. From 1758 to 1838, it had an upper house called the Council, which also held executive functions. In 1838, the Council's executive functions were given to an Executive Council, and the upper house was renamed the Legislative Council. That house was abolished in 1928.
List of Assemblies
editData before 1984 summarized from: Elliott, Shirley B. (1984). "Appendix A: Assembly Lists". The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, 1758-1983: a biographical directory (PDF). Halifax: Province of Nova Scotia. ISBN 0-88871-050-X.
Post-Confederation
editPre-Confederation
edit| Assembly | Election | Convened | Dissolution | Sessions | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 28, 1863 | February 4, 1864 | June 10, 1867 | 4[13] | |
| 22nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 12, 1859 | January 26, 1860 | May 1, 1863 | 4 | 55[14] |
| 21st General Assembly of Nova Scotia | By error, the 21st General Assembly was called the "22nd." | ||||
| 20th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 22, 1855 | January 31, 1856 | April 15, 1859 | 4 | 53 |
| 19th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 28, 1851 | November 4, 1851 | April 25, 1855 | 5 | 53 |
| 18th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 5, 1847 | January 22, 1848 | July 26, 1851 | 4 | 51 |
| Assembly | Writ issued[15] | Convened | Dissolution | Sessions | Members |
| 17th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 30, 1843 | February 8, 1844 | June 23, 1847 | 5 | 51 |
| 16th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 21, 1840 | February 3, 1841 | October 26, 1843 | 3 | 51 |
| 15th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | November 2, 1836 | January 31, 1837 | October 21, 1840 | 5 | 49 |
| 14th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 25, 1830 | November 8, 1830 | November 2, 1836 | 6 | 41/44[16] |
| 13th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | April 17, 1826 | February 1, 1827 | August 18, 1830[17] | 4 | |
| 12th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | April 28, 1820 | December 12, 1820 | April 11, 1826 | 6 | |
| 11th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 18, 1818 | February 11, 1819 | April 20, 1820 | 2 | 39 |
| 10th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 17, 1811 | February 6, 1812 | May 11, 1818 | 8 | |
| 9th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 29, 1806 | November 18, 1806 | August 14, 1811 | 7 | |
| 8th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 21, 1799 | February 20, 1800 | May 28, 1806 | 6 | |
| 7th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | January 22, 1793 | March 20, 1793 | October 11, 1799 | 7 | |
| 6th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 21, 1785 | December 5, 1785 | January 22, 1793 | 7 | |
| 5th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | April 18, 1770 | June 6, 1770 | October 20, 1785 | 17 | |
| 4th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | February 2, 1765 | May 28, 1765 | April 2, 1770 | 8 | 27/33[18] |
| 3rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | February 28, 1761 | July 1, 1761 | January 30, 1765 | 6 | 24/28[19] |
| 2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 23, 1759 | December 4, 1759 | October 25, 1760[20] | 2 | 22 |
| 1st General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 20, 1758 | October 2, 1758 | August 13, 1759 | 2 | 22 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ An Act Abolishing the Legislative Council and Amending the Constitution of the Province, SNS 1928, c. 1, s. 2 .
- ^ Province to restore four protected ridings for Acadians, African Nova Scotians CTV News
- ^ Seats reduced in redistricting. Contentious electoral map becomes law in N.S. CBC News. Membership varied during the assembly due to resignations and by-elections.
- ^ Membership varied during the assembly due to resignations and by-elections.
- ^ Change in districting of Inverness and Yarmouth Counties without change of number of members.
- ^ Changed by 27 Elizabeth II, Ch. 198
- ^ Changed by the House of Assembly Act (RSNS 1967, Ch. 128)
- ^ 4 regular sessions and 1 special session, September 9–10, 1966
- ^ Changed by 4 Eliz. II, Ch. 27
- ^ Changed by 12 Geo. VI, Ch. 47
- ^ Changed by section 4 of 21 Geo. V, Ch. 19
- ^ Changes in districting of Cape Breton and Richmond Counties without change of number of members.
- ^ In the Journal of the House of Assembly, the first session is called the "First Session of the Twenty-second Assembly", in an effort to correct the mistake of 1860. However the second session was called the "Second Session of the Twenty-third Assembly", resuming the error. The erroneous numbering has been continued to the present.
- ^ Additional representation by Township ended, representation was by County only. The number of former Township seats were generally added to the number of County seats.
- ^ Prior to 1847, there was no single fixed election day. A writ of election was issued, with a fixed date when it was "returnable," usually at or a few days to a few months before the first session was to convene.
- ^ Membership increased for the 1833 session.
- ^ Elliott states the assembly was dissolved "on the death of King George IV," however that was on 26 June 1830, and there is no corresponding note for the 11th General Assembly being dissolved on the death of King George III. It is unclear when the tradition of dissolving the assembly on the death of the monarch ceased.
- ^ Membership increased during the assembly.
- ^ Membership increased for the second session.
- ^ Dissolved by the death of King George II