Nova Scotia House of Assembly
| Nova Scotia Legislature | |
|---|---|
| 62nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia[1] | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type |
Unicameral house of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia |
| Leadership | |
House Leader | |
Opposition House Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 51 |
 | |
Political groups |
Governing Party Opposition Parties |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Legislative Chamber, Province House, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | |
| Website | |
| nslegislature.ca/ | |
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of the lieutenant governor (sometimes referred to as the governor) and the House of Assembly,[2] is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada. The assembly is the oldest in Canada, having first sat in 1758,[3] and in 1848 was the site of the first responsible government in a colony of the British Empire.
Originally (in 1758), the legislature consisted of the governor (later a lieutenant governor), the appointed Nova Scotia Council (upper chamber) (which met in the Red Chamber, now used for committee meetings and social functions) and the elected House of Assembly (lower chamber). The council had both executive and legislative functions. In 1838, the council was replaced by an executive council with the executive function and a legislative council with the upper chamber legislative function. In 1928, the legislative council was abolished.
There are 51 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing 51 electoral districts. Members nearly always represent one of the three main political parties of the province, the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Liberal Party, and Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.
The assembly meets in Province House. Located in Halifax Province House is a National Historic Site and Canada's oldest and smallest legislative building. It opened on February 11, 1819. The building was also the original home to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and the location of the "Freedom of the Press" trial of Joseph Howe. Its main entrance is found on Hollis Street in Halifax.
Party standings
| Affiliation | Members | |
| Liberal Party | 33 | |
| Progressive Conservative Party | 10 | |
| New Democratic Party | 5 | |
| Independents | 1 | |
| Vacant | 2 | |
| Total |
51 | |
| Government majority |
15 | |
Committees
Standing Committees
- Assembly Matters
- Community Services
- Economic Development
- Human Resources
- Internal Affairs
- Law Amendments
- Private & Local Bills
- Public Accounts
- Resources
- Veterans Affairs
Committees of the Whole House
- Bills
- Supply
- Supply Subcommittee
Select Committee
- Participation in the Democratic Process
recent former Select Committees
(final reports filed)
- Electoral Boundaries
- Fire Safety
- National Unity
- Petroleum Product Pricing
- Workers' Compensation Act
Special Committee
- to Review the Estimates of the Auditor General
Seating plan
See also
- List of Nova Scotia General Assemblies — list of sitting members for each session
- List of political parties in Nova Scotia
- Executive Council of Nova Scotia (Cabinet)
- Province House (Nova Scotia)
- Politics of Nova Scotia
References
- ↑ "The Nova Scotia Legislature". General Assembly of Nova Scotia. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ↑ Constitution Act, 1867, ss. 69, 71 & 88; Nova Scotia Legislature
- ↑ How Canadians Govern Themselves
External links
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