Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia Legislature
Type
Type	Unicameral
Houses	House of Assembly
Leadership
Speaker	Gordie Gosse, New Democratic Party since January 19, 2011
Members	52
Meeting place
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,^[1] is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Assembly is the oldest in Canada, having first sat in 1758,^[2] and in 1848 was the site of the first responsible government in colonies of the British Empire.

Originally (in 1758), the Legislature consisted of the Governor (later a Lieutenant Governor), the appointed Council (upper chamber) (which met in the Red Chamber shown on the right and 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 52 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing 52 electoral districts. Members nearly always represent one of the three main political parties of the province, the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, Liberal 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.

Party standings

A map showing how Nova Scotia's 52 electoral districts voted in 2009

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)

References

External links

• Nova Scotia Legislature
• Nova Scotia House of Assembly seating plan

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