The General Assembly of Nova Scotia is the legislature of the province of Nova Scotia. It consists of one or more sessions and comes to an end upon dissolution (or constitutionally by the effluxion of time — approximately five years) and an ensuing general election. Today, the unicameral legislature is made up of two elements: the lieutenant governor (representing the King of Canada). and a legislative assembly called the House of Assembly. The legislature was first established in 1758.
Like at the Canadian federal level, Nova Scotia uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which members are elected to the House of Assembly in general elections and the leader of the party with the confidence of the Assembly (normally the party with the most seats) becomes the premier of Nova Scotia and chooses the Executive Council from amongst the party's members of the Assembly. Government is carried out in the name of the king, represented by the lieutenant governor, acting on the advice of the Executive Council (the Governor in Council).
The legislature was originally bicameral. From 1758 to 1838, it had an upper house called the Council, which also held executive functions. In 1838, the Council's executive functions were given to an Executive Council, and the upper house was renamed the Legislative Council. That house was abolished in 1928.
List of Assemblies Data before 1984 summarized from:
Post-Confederation Assembly Election Convened Dissolution Sessions Members65th General Assembly of Nova Scotia November 26, 2024 December 10, 2024 55 (before 2026); 56 (since 2026)64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 17, 2021 September 24, 2021 October 27, 2024 1 55Province to restore four protected ridings for Acadians, African Nova Scotians CTV News63rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 30, 2017 June 16, 2017 July 17, 2021 3 5162nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 8, 2013 October 24, 2013 April 30, 2017 3 51Seats reduced in redistricting. Contentious electoral map becomes law in N.S. CBC News. Membership varied during the assembly due to resignations and by-elections.61st General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 9, 2009 June 25, 2009 September 7, 2013 2 52Membership varied during the assembly due to resignations and by-elections.60th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 13, 2006 June 29, 2006 May 5, 2009 2 5259th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 5, 2003 September 4, 2003 May 13, 2006 2 5258th General Assembly of Nova Scotia July 27, 1999 August 2, 1999 July 5, 2003 3 5257th General Assembly of Nova Scotia March 24, 1998 May 21, 1998 June 18, 1999 1 5256th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 25, 1993 June 28, 1993 February 12, 1998 6 5255th General Assembly of Nova Scotia September 6, 1988 February 23, 1989 April 16, 1993 3 5254th General Assembly of Nova Scotia November 6, 1984 February 28, 1985 July 30, 1988 4 5253rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 6, 1981 February 18, 1982 September 28, 1984 3 52Change in districting of Inverness and Yarmouth Counties without change of number of members.52nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia September 19, 1978 December 7, 1978 August 28, 1981 3 52Changed by 27 Elizabeth II, Ch. 19851st General Assembly of Nova Scotia April 2, 1974 May 23, 1974 August 12, 1978 5 4650th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 13, 1970 December 10, 1970 February 23, 1974 4 4649th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 30, 1967 December 1, 1967 September 5, 1970 3 46Changed by the House of Assembly Act (RSNS 1967, Ch. 128)48th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 8, 1963 February 6, 1964 April 20, 1967 54 regular sessions and 1 special session, September 9–10, 1966 4347th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 7, 1960 February 8, 1961 August 29, 1963 3 4346th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 30, 1956 February 27, 1957 April 16, 1960 4 43Changed by 4 Eliz. II, Ch. 2745th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 26, 1953 February 24, 1954 September 10, 1956 3 3744th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 9, 1949 March 21, 1950 April 14, 1953 4 37Changed by 12 Geo. VI, Ch. 4743rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 23, 1945 March 14, 1946 April 27, 1949 4 3042nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 28, 1941 February 19, 1942 September 12, 1945 4 3041st General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 29, 1937 March 1, 1938 September 19, 1941 4 3040th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 22, 1933 March 1, 1934 May 20, 1937 4 30Changed by section 4 of 21 Geo. V, Ch. 1939th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 1, 1928 February 27, 1929 July 13, 1933 5 4338th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 25, 1925 February 9, 1926 September 5, 1928 3 43Changes in districting of Cape Breton and Richmond Counties without change of number of members.37th General Assembly of Nova Scotia July 27, 1920 March 9, 1921 June 2, 1925 5 4336th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 20, 1916 February 22, 1917 June 28, 1920 4 4335th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 14, 1911 February 22, 1912 May 22, 1916 5 3834th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 20, 1906 February 14, 1907 May 15, 1911 5 3833rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 2, 1901 February 13, 1902 May 22, 1906 5 32nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia April 20, 1897 January 27, 1898 September 3, 1901 4 31st General Assembly of Nova Scotia March 15, 1894 January 31, 1895 March 20, 1897 3 3830th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 21, 1890 April 2, 1891 February 14, 1894 4 3829th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 15, 1886 March 10, 1887 April 21, 1890 4 28th General Assembly of Nova Scotia June 20, 1882 February 8, 1883 May 20, 1886 4 27th General Assembly of Nova Scotia September 17, 1878 March 6, 1879 May 23, 1882 4 26th General Assembly of Nova Scotia December 17, 1874 March 11, 1875 August 21, 1878 4 25th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 16, 1871 February 22, 1872 November 23, 1874 3 24th General Assembly of Nova Scotia September 18, 1867 January 30, 1868 April 17, 1871 4 38
Pre-Confederation Assembly Election Convened Dissolution Sessions Members23rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 28, 1863 February 4, 1864 June 10, 1867 4In the Journal of the House of Assembly, the first session is called the "First Session of the Twenty-second Assembly", in an effort to correct the mistake of 1860. However the second session was called the "Second Session of the Twenty-third Assembly", resuming the error. The erroneous numbering has been continued to the present. 22nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 12, 1859 January 26, 1860 May 1, 1863 4 55Additional representation by Township ended, representation was by County only. The number of former Township seats were generally added to the number of County seats. 21st General Assembly of Nova Scotia By error, the 21st General Assembly was called the "22nd."20th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 22, 1855 January 31, 1856 April 15, 1859 4 5319th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 28, 1851 November 4, 1851 April 25, 1855 5 5318th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 5, 1847 January 22, 1848 July 26, 1851 4 51 Assembly Writ issuedPrior to 1847, there was no single fixed election day. A writ of election was issued, with a fixed date when it was "returnable," usually at or a few days to a few months before the first session was to convene. Convened Dissolution Sessions Members17th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 30, 1843 February 8, 1844 June 23, 1847 5 5116th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 21, 1840 February 3, 1841 October 26, 1843 3 5115th General Assembly of Nova Scotia November 2, 1836 January 31, 1837 October 21, 1840 5 4914th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 25, 1830 November 8, 1830 November 2, 1836 6 41/44Membership increased for the 1833 session.13th General Assembly of Nova Scotia April 17, 1826 February 1, 1827 August 18, 1830Elliott states the assembly was dissolved "on the death of King George IV," however that was on 26 June 1830, and there is no corresponding note for the 11th General Assembly being dissolved on the death of King George III. It is unclear when the tradition of dissolving the assembly on the death of the monarch ceased. 4 12th General Assembly of Nova Scotia April 28, 1820 December 12, 1820 April 11, 1826 6 11th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 18, 1818 February 11, 1819 April 20, 1820 2 3910th General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 17, 1811 February 6, 1812 May 11, 1818 8 9th General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 29, 1806 November 18, 1806 August 14, 1811 7 8th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 21, 1799 February 20, 1800 May 28, 1806 6 7th General Assembly of Nova Scotia January 22, 1793 March 20, 1793 October 11, 1799 7 6th General Assembly of Nova Scotia October 21, 1785 December 5, 1785 January 22, 1793 7 5th General Assembly of Nova Scotia April 18, 1770 June 6, 1770 October 20, 1785 17 4th General Assembly of Nova Scotia February 2, 1765 May 28, 1765 April 2, 1770 8 27/33Membership increased during the assembly.3rd General Assembly of Nova Scotia February 28, 1761 July 1, 1761 January 30, 1765 6 24/28Membership increased for the second session.2nd General Assembly of Nova Scotia August 23, 1759 December 4, 1759 October 25, 1760Dissolved by the death of King George II 2 221st General Assembly of Nova Scotia May 20, 1758 October 2, 1758 August 13, 1759 2 22
See also
List of Nova Scotia provincial electoral districts Nova Scotia Council
Notes