Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada

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The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario. It was created by The Union Act of 1840. Canada East and Canada West each elected 42 members to the assembly.

The first session of parliament began in Kingston in Canada West in 1841.

The second parliament and the first sessions of the third parliament were held in Montreal. On April 25, 1849, rioters protesting the Rebellion Losses Bill burned the parliament buildings. The remaining sessions of the third parliament were held in Toronto. Subsequent parliaments were held in Quebec City and Toronto, except for the last session in 1866 of the eight and final parliament, which was held in Ottawa, the capital chosen for the Dominion of Canada.

The British North America Act of 1867 divided the Province of Canada into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, each province having its own Legislative Assembly, as well as representation in the Parliament of Canada.

Contents

[edit] Parliament Buildings

Parliament for the United Provinces of Canada drifted around the cities of Toronto, Kingston, Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa:

  • 1841-1843 three sessions were held at the 3 storey Kingston General Hospital
  • 1843 Parliament moves to Montreal and sites at renovated St. Anne’s Market; burned down in 1849; rebuilt as market only and burned down again in 1902; site later as parking lot and now public square called Place d’Youville.
  • 1849 temporary sites for Parliament at Bonsecours Market and the Freemason's Hall, Montreal for single session.
  • 1849-1850 Parliament returns to Toronto to the site of the Third Parliament Buildings at Front and Simcoe Street.
  • 1851 Parliament relocates to Quebec City in 1851 to the Quebec Parliament Buildings until fire in destroys the building in 1854.
  • 1854-1859 Parliament remains in Quebec and relocates to Quebec Music Hall and Quebec City Courthouse.
  • 1859 Parliament return to Toronto to the site of the last parliament held there in 1849-1851 sessions.
  • 1860-1865 Parliament returns to Quebec and new Parliament Buildings, Quebec at Parc Montmercy; re-used as Parliament of Quebec 1867-1883
  • 1866-1867 Parliament locates in Ottawa on Parliament Hill to the completed and original Centre Block, as well as the East and West Block; Centre Block was later destroyed by fire

[edit] List of Parliaments

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Upper Canadian politics in the 1850's, Underhill (and others), University of Toronto Press (1967)

[edit] External links

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