General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador explained

General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
Legislature:50th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
House Type:Bicameral (1832–1934)
Unicameral (1934–present)
Houses:Legislative Council (1832–1934)
House of Assembly (1934–present)
Crown-In-Parl:The governor (1832–1949)
and the lieutenant governor (1949–present)
(representing the King of Canada)
Foundation:
(Suspended 1934–1949 during Commission of Government)
Session Room:Confederation Building (front), St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.jpg
Meeting Place:Colonial Building (1850–1959)
Confederation Building (1959–present)

The General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador (known as the General Assembly of Newfoundland until 6 December 2001) is the legislature of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Today, the legislature is made of two elements: the lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada), and the unicameral assembly called the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. The legislature was first established in 1832.

Like the Canadian federal government, Newfoundland and Labrador uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which members are sent to the House of Assembly after general elections. The leader of the party with the most seats is called upon by the lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador to form a government and assume the position of Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. The premier acts as Newfoundland and Labrador's head of government, while the King of Canada is head of state.

The legislature was originally bicameral. From 1832 to 1934, it had an upper house called the Legislative Council of Newfoundland. That house was abolished in 1934.

Between 1934 and Newfoundland's entry into Canadian Confederation in 1949, Newfoundland was under Commission of Government, and the General Assembly was suspended.

List of General Assemblies

Pre-Confederation

Assembly Period Election Dissolution
1833–1838 1832
1838–1843 1836,[1] 1837
1843–1848 1842
1848–1853 1848
1853–1855 1852
1855–1860 1855
1860–1861 1859
1861–1865 1861
1865–1869 1865
1869–1873 1869
1873–1874 1873
1874–1878 1874
1878–1882 1878
1882–1885 1882
1885–1889 1885
1889–1893 1889
1893–1897 1893
1897–1900 1897
1900–1904 1900
1904–1908 1904
1908–1909 1908
1909–1913 1909
1913–1919 1913
1919–1923 1919
1923–1924 1923
1924–1928 1924
1928–1932 1928
1932–1934[2] 1932

Post-Confederation

Assembly Period Election Dissolution
1949–1951 1949
1951–1956 1951
1956–1959 1956
1959–1962 1959
1962–1966 1962
1966–1971 1966
1971–1972 1971
1972–1975 1972
1975–1979 1975
1979–1982 1979
1982–1985 1982
1985–1989 1985
1989–1993 1989
1993–1996 1993
1996–1999 1996
1999–2003 1999
2003–2007 2003
2007–2011 2007
2011–20152011
2015–20192015
2019–20212019
2021–present2021

References

Notes and References

  1. The results of the 1836 election were set aside by the chief justice of Newfoundland, after he discovered some of the writs had not been marked with the official seal.
  2. Democratic government suspended in 1934 with the creation of the Commission of Government. The Newfoundland House of Assembly remained suspended until 1949.