General Assembly of Nova Scotia explained
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.
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
Data before 1984 summarized from: Book: Elliott, Shirley B. . 1984 . Appendix A: Assembly Lists . The Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, 1758-1983: a biographical directory . Halifax . Province of Nova Scotia . 0-88871-050-X.
Post-Confederation
| Assembly | Election | Convened | | Sessions | Members |
|---|
| 64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 17, 2021 | September 24, 2021 | TBD | | 55[2] |
| 63rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 30, 2017 | June 16, 2017 | July 17, 2021 | 3 | 51 |
| 62nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 8, 2013 | October 24, 2013 | April 30, 2017 | 3 | 51[3] |
| 61st General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 9, 2009 | June 25, 2009 | September 7, 2013 | 2 | 52[4] |
| 60th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 13, 2006 | June 29, 2006 | May 5, 2009 | 2 | 52 |
| August 5, 2003 | September 4, 2003 | May 13, 2006 | 2 | 52 |
| July 27, 1999 | August 2, 1999 | July 5, 2003 | 3 | 52 |
| March 24, 1998 | May 21, 1998 | June 18, 1999 | 1 | 52 |
| May 25, 1993 | June 28, 1993 | February 12, 1998 | 6 | 52 |
| September 6, 1988 | February 23, 1989 | April 16, 1993 | 3 | 52 |
| November 6, 1984 | February 28, 1985 | July 30, 1988 | 4 | 52 |
| October 6, 1981 | February 18, 1982 | September 28, 1984 | 3 | 52[5] |
| September 19, 1978 | December 7, 1978 | August 28, 1981 | 3 | 52[6] |
| April 2, 1974 | May 23, 1974 | August 12, 1978 | 5 | 46 |
| 50th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 13, 1970 | December 10, 1970 | February 23, 1974 | 4 | 46 |
| 49th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 30, 1967 | December 1, 1967 | September 5, 1970 | 3 | 46[7] |
| 48th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 8, 1963 | February 6, 1964 | April 20, 1967 | 5[8] | 43 |
| 47th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 7, 1960 | February 8, 1961 | August 29, 1963 | 3 | 43 |
| 46th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 30, 1956 | February 27, 1957 | April 16, 1960 | 4 | 43[9] |
| 45th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 26, 1953 | February 24, 1954 | September 10, 1956 | 3 | 37 |
| 44th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 9, 1949 | March 21, 1950 | April 14, 1953 | 4 | 37[10] |
| 43rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 23, 1945 | March 14, 1946 | April 27, 1949 | 4 | 30 |
| 42nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 28, 1941 | February 19, 1942 | September 12, 1945 | 4 | 30 |
| 41st General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 29, 1937 | March 1, 1938 | September 19, 1941 | 4 | 30 |
| 40th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | August 22, 1933 | March 1, 1934 | May 20, 1937 | 4 | 30[11] |
| 39th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 1, 1928 | February 27, 1929 | July 13, 1933 | 5 | 43 |
| 38th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 25, 1925 | February 9, 1926 | September 5, 1928 | 3 | 43[12] |
| 37th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | July 27, 1920 | March 9, 1921 | June 2, 1925 | 5 | 43 |
| 36th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 20, 1916 | February 22, 1917 | June 28, 1920 | 4 | 43 |
| 35th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 14, 1911 | February 22, 1912 | May 22, 1916 | 5 | 38 |
| 34th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 20, 1906 | February 14, 1907 | May 15, 1911 | 5 | 38 |
| 33rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | October 2, 1901 | February 13, 1902 | May 22, 1906 | 5 | |
| 32nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia | April 20, 1897 | January 27, 1898 | September 3, 1901 | 4 | |
| 31st General Assembly of Nova Scotia | March 15, 1894 | January 31, 1895 | March 20, 1897 | 3 | 38 |
| 30th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 21, 1890 | April 2, 1891 | February 14, 1894 | 4 | 38 |
| 29th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 15, 1886 | March 10, 1887 | April 21, 1890 | 4 | |
| 28th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | June 20, 1882 | February 8, 1883 | May 20, 1886 | 4 | |
| 27th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | September 17, 1878 | March 6, 1879 | May 23, 1882 | 4 | |
| 26th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | December 17, 1874 | March 11, 1875 | August 21, 1878 | 4 | |
| 25th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | May 16, 1871 | February 22, 1872 | November 23, 1874 | 3 | |
| September 18, 1867 | January 30, 1868 | April 17, 1871 | 4 | 38 | |
Pre-Confederation
| Assembly | Election | Convened | | Sessions | Members |
|---|
| 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 | ColSpan=5 | By error, the 21st General Assembly was called the "22nd." |
| May 22, 1855 | January 31, 1856 | April 15, 1859 | 4 | 53 |
| August 28, 1851 | November 4, 1851 | April 25, 1855 | 5 | 53 |
| August 5, 1847 | January 22, 1848 | July 26, 1851 | 4 | 51 |
| Assembly | Writ issued[15] | Convened | | Sessions | Members |
|---|
| October 30, 1843 | February 8, 1844 | June 23, 1847 | 5 | 51 |
| October 21, 1840 | February 3, 1841 | October 26, 1843 | 3 | 51 |
| November 2, 1836 | January 31, 1837 | October 21, 1840 | 5 | 49 |
| August 25, 1830 | November 8, 1830 | November 2, 1836 | 6 | 41/44[16] |
| April 17, 1826 | February 1, 1827 | August 18, 1830[17] | 4 | |
| April 28, 1820 | December 12, 1820 | April 11, 1826 | 6 | |
| May 18, 1818 | February 11, 1819 | April 20, 1820 | 2 | 39 |
| August 17, 1811 | February 6, 1812 | May 11, 1818 | 8 | |
| May 29, 1806 | November 18, 1806 | August 14, 1811 | 7 | |
| October 21, 1799 | February 20, 1800 | May 28,1806 | 6 | |
| January 22, 1793 | March 20, 1793 | October 11, 1799 | 7 | |
| October 21, 1785 | December 5, 1785 | January 22, 1793 | 7 | |
| April 18, 1770 | June 6, 1770 | October 20, 1785 | 17 | |
| February 2, 1765 | May 28, 1765 | April 2, 1770 | 8 | 27/33[18] |
| February 28, 1761 | July 1, 1761 | January 30, 1765 | 6 | 24/28[19] |
| August 23, 1759 | December 4, 1759 | October 25, 1760[20] | 2 | 22 |
| May 20, 1758 | October 2, 1758 | August 13, 1759 | 2 | 22 | |
See also
Notes
- An Act Abolishing the Legislative Council and Amending the Constitution of the Province. SNS. 1928. 1. 2. http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/legiscou.htm. Legislature of Nova Scotia. .
- https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/province-to-restore-four-protected-ridings-for-acadians-african-nova-scotians-1.4631256 Province to restore four protected ridings for Acadians, African Nova Scotians
- 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
