Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
62nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia
Type
Type	Unicameral house of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia
Leadership
Speaker	Kevin Murphy, Liberal ; since October 24, 2013
House Leader	Michel Samson, Liberal ; since January 31, 2012
Opposition House Leader	Chris d'Entremont, PC ; since September 9, 2010
Structure
Seats	51; (1 vacant)
Political groups	Governing Party Liberal (34); Opposition Parties PC (10); NDP (5); Independent (1);
Elections
Last election	October 8, 2013
Next election	Next election
Meeting place
	Legislative Chamber, Province House, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Website
	nslegislature.ca/

The Nova Scotia Legislature, formally, known as the General Assembly, consists of the Crown represented by aLieutenant 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 the British Empire.

Originally (in 1758), the Legislature consisted of the Crown represented by a governor (later a lieutenant governor), the appointed Nova Scotia Council holding both executive and legislative duties and an elected House of Assembly (lower chamber). In 1838, the council was replaced by an executive council with the executive function and a legislative council with the legislative functions based on the House of Lords. In 1928, the Legislative Council was abolished and the members pensioned off.

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 Nova Scotia Liberal Party, Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, 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.

Affiliation		Members
Liberal	34
Progressive Conservative	10
New Democratic	5
Independents	1
	Vacant	1
Total		51
Government majority		7

Party standings

Committees

Standing Committees

Committees of the Whole House

Select Committee

recent former Select Committees

Special Committee

Seating plan

See also

References

External links