List_of_Nova_Scotia_General_Assemblies

General Assembly of Nova Scotia

General Assembly of Nova Scotia

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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 King of Canada in Right of Nova Scotia, represented by lieutenant governor[1] and a legislative assembly called the House of Assembly. The legislature was first established in 1758.

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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 in Right of Nova Scotia, 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

Data 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

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Pre-Confederation

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See also

Notes

  1. [1]
    An Act Abolishing the Legislative Council and Amending the Constitution of the Province, SNS 1928, c. 1, s. 2 .
  2. [2]
    Province to restore four protected ridings for Acadians, African Nova Scotians CTV News
  3. [3]
    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.
  4. [4]
    Membership varied during the assembly due to resignations and by-elections.
  5. [5]
    Change in districting of Inverness and Yarmouth Counties without change of number of members.
  6. [6]
    Changed by 27 Elizabeth II, Ch. 198
  7. [7]
    Changed by the House of Assembly Act (RSNS 1967, Ch. 128)
  8. [8]
    4 regular sessions and 1 special session, September 9-10, 1966
  9. [9]
    Changed by 4 Eliz. II, Ch. 27
  10. [10]
    Changed by 12 Geo. VI, Ch. 47
  11. [11]
    Changed by section 4 of 21 Geo. V, Ch. 19
  12. [12]
    Changes in districting of Cape Breton and Richmond Counties without change of number of members.
  13. [13]
    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.
  14. [14]
    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.
  15. [15]
    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.
  16. [16]
    Membership increased for the 1833 session.
  17. [17]
    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.
  18. [18]
    Membership increased during the assembly.
  19. [19]
    Membership increased for the second session.
  20. [20]
    Dissolved by the death of King George II
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