Legislative assemblies of Canadian provinces and territories

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the Legislative Assemblies of Canada's provinces and territories. Each province's legislative assembly, along with the province's Lieutenant Governor, form the province's legislature (which is called a parliament or general assembly in some provinces). Historically, several provinces had bicameral legislatures, but they all eventually dissolved their upper house or merged it with their lower house.

Current legislative assemblies of provinces and territories of Canada[]

Legislature Name Year City Building
Legislative Assembly of Alberta 1905 Edmonton Alberta-Provincial-Legislature-Building-Edmonton-Alberta-Canada-01.jpg
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 1871 Victoria British Columbia Parliament Buildings illuminated at dusk
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba 1876 Winnipeg Parliamentwinnipeg manitoba
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick 1891 Fredericton New Brunswick Legislative Assembly 2011
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly 1949 St. John's Confederation Building (front), St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories 1975 Yellowknife Northwest Territories Legislative Building.jpg
Nova Scotia House of Assembly 1928 Halifax Province House (Nova Scotia).jpg
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut 1999 Iqaluit Leg Building Iqaluit 2000-08-27.jpg
Legislative Assembly of Ontario 1867 Toronto Ontario Legislative Building, Toronto, South view 20170417 1.jpg
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island 1893 Charlottetown 282 - Birthplace of Canada Charlottetown PEI.JPG
National Assembly of Quebec 1868 Quebec City Assemblée nationale du Québec, Canada.jpg
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 1905 Regina Sask Legislative Bldg.jpg
Yukon Legislative Assembly 1978 Whitehorse Yukon Legislature main entrance.jpg

Table of legislative assemblies by history and by jurisdiction[]

Federal legislature for Canada[]

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Canada
1867–present House of Commons of Canada Senate of Canada Governor General of Canada Parliament of Canada

Legislatures of provinces[]

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Alberta
1670–1905 See Northwest Territories.
1905–present Legislative Assembly of Alberta N/A Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Legislature of Alberta
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
British Columbia
1849-1866 See Vancouver Island and Colony of British Columbia.
1866–1871 N/A Legislative Council of British Columbia Governor of the Colony of British Columbia N/A
1871–present Legislative Assembly of British Columbia N/A Lieutenant governor of British Columbia Parliament of British Columbia
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Manitoba
1670-1870 See Northwest Territories.
1870–1876 Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Legislative Council of Manitoba Lieutenant governor of Manitoba Legislature of Manitoba
1876–present N/A
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
New Brunswick
1763–1784 See Nova Scotia.
1784–1891 Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Legislative Council of New Brunswick Lieutenant governor of New Brunswick New Brunswick Legislature
1891–present N/A
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Newfoundland and Labrador
1825–1833 N/A N/A Governor of Newfoundland N/A
1833–1934 Newfoundland House of Assembly Legislative Council of Newfoundland General Assembly of Newfoundland
1934–1949 N/A Commission of Government N/A
1949–present* Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly N/A Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador

* Labrador was added to the name of the province in 2001. Before then, the bodies were the Newfoundland House of Assembly, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland, and General Assembly of Newfoundland.

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Nova Scotia
1713–1720 N/A N/A Governor of Nova Scotia and Placentia N/A
1720–1758 Nova Scotia Council
1758–1786 Nova Scotia House of Assembly Governor of Nova Scotia General Assembly of Nova Scotia
1786-1838 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
1838–1928 Legislative Council of Nova Scotia
1928–present N/A
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Ontario
1534-1791 See Quebec.
1791–1841 Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada Legislative Council of Upper Canada Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada Parliament of Upper Canada
1841–1867 Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada Legislative Council of the Province of Canada Governor General of the Province of Canada Parliament of the Province of Canada
1867–present Legislative Assembly of Ontario N/A Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Parliament of Ontario
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Prince Edward Island
1763–1769 See Nova Scotia.
1769–1786 House of Assembly of Prince Edward Island Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island[1] Governor of St. John's Island General Assembly of Prince Edward Island
1786-1893* Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
1893–present Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island N/A

* The territory's name was changed from St. John's Island to Prince Edward Island in 1798. Before then, the bodies were the House of Assembly of the Island of St. John, Legislative Council of the Island of St. John, Lieutenant Governor of the Island of St. John, and General Assembly of the Island of St. John.

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Quebec
1534-1763 N/A N/A Governor of New France N/A
1763–1791 Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec Governor of the Province of Quebec
1791–1838 Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Legislative Council of Lower Canada Lieutenant Governor of Lower Canada Parliament of Lower Canada
1838–1841 N/A Special Council of Lower Canada
1841–1867 Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada Legislative Council of the Province of Canada Governor General of the Province of Canada Parliament of the Province of Canada
1867–1968 Legislative Assembly of Quebec Legislative Council of Quebec Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Quebec Legislature
1968–present National Assembly of Quebec N/A
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Saskatchewan
1670–1905 See Northwest Territories.
1905–present Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan N/A Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Legislature of Saskatchewan

Legislatures of territories[]

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
Northwest Territories
1670-1821 N/A N/A Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land
1821-1870 Council of Assiniboia
1870–1876 N/A Temporary North-West Council Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and the North-West Territories
1876–1888 1st Council of the Northwest Territories
1888–1905 North-West Legislative Assembly N/A
1905–1951 N/A 2nd Council of the Northwest Territories Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
1951–1975 Northwest Territories Legislative Council N/A
1975–present Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
Nunavut
1670–1999 See Northwest Territories.
1999–present Legislative Assembly of Nunavut N/A Commissioner-in-Council of Nunavut
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
Yukon
????–1898 See Northwest Territories.
1898–1909 N/A Yukon Territorial Council Commissioner of Yukon
1909–1978 Yukon Territorial Council N/A
1978–present Yukon Legislative Assembly

Legislatures of former colonies and territories[]

Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
Colony of British Columbia
1858–1866 N/A Colonial Assembly of British Columbia Governor of the Colony of British Columbia
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
Colony of Cape Breton
1784–1820 N/A Cape Breton Council Lieutenant Governor of Cape Breton
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy
District of Keewatin
1670–1876 See Northwest Territories.
1876–1877 N/A Council of Keewatin Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and Keewatin
1877–1905 N/A
Period Lower house Upper house Viceroy Parliament
Colony of Vancouver Island
1849–1855 N/A Legislative Council of Vancouver Island Governor of Vancouver Island N/A
1855–1866 House of Assembly of Vancouver Island Legislature of Vancouver Island

Governing parties in modern assemblies[]

Current provincial/territorial governments (as of August 2021)
Province/territory Premier[2] Party in government[2] Party political position Majority/
minority 		Lieutenant governor/
commissioner[3]
Alberta Jason Kenney United Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Salma Lakhani
British Columbia John Horgan New Democratic Left-wing ◕ Majority Janet Austin
Manitoba Kelvin Goertzen Progressive Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Janice Filmon
New Brunswick Blaine Higgs[4] Progressive Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Brenda Murphy
Newfoundland and Labrador Andrew Furey Liberal Centre-left ◕ Majority Judy Foote
Nova Scotia Tim Houston Progressive Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Arthur Joseph LeBlanc
Ontario Doug Ford Progressive Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Elizabeth Dowdeswell
Prince Edward Island Dennis King Progressive Conservative Centre-right ◕ Majority Antoinette Perry
Quebec François Legault Coalition Avenir Québec[5][6] Centre-right ◕ Majority J. Michel Doyon
Saskatchewan Scott Moe Saskatchewan Party Centre-right[7][8][9][10] ◕ Majority Russell Mirasty
Northwest Territories Caroline Cochrane Consensus government Nonpartisan Margaret Thom
Nunavut Joe Savikataaq Consensus government Nonpartisan Eva Aariak
Yukon Sandy Silver Liberal Centre-left ◔ Minority Angélique Bernard
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References[]

  1. ^ The Legislative Council was an elected body from 1862 to 1893. "Elections PEI: Provincial Electoral Reform". Government of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Premiers". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  3. ^ "Lieutenant Governors and Territorial Commissioners". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  4. ^ Brian Gallant's minority government defeated after losing confidence vote
  5. ^ Philip Authier, "Inside the CAQ cabinet: François Legault names 13 women, 13 men," Montreal Gazette, October 18, 2018.
  6. ^ "Meet the key cabinet ministers in the new Coalition Avenir Québec government", CBC News, October 18, 2018.
  7. ^ Randy Boswell; Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post; Lynn McAuley (1 January 2005). Province with a Heart: Celebrating 100 Years in Saskatchewan. CanWest Books. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-9736719-0-2.
  8. ^ Linda Trimble; Jane Arscott; Manon Tremblay (31 May 2013). Stalled: The Representation of Women in Canadian Governments. UBC Press. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-7748-2522-1.
  9. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (1 March 2012). Britannica Book of the Year 2012. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. p. 378. ISBN 978-1-61535-618-8.
  10. ^ Charles S. Mack (2010). When Political Parties Die: A Cross-national Analysis of Disalignment and Realignment. ABC-CLIO. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-313-38546-9.
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