Nova Scotia House of Assembly Assemblée législative de la Nouvelle-Écosse | |
|---|---|
| 64th General Assembly of Nova Scotia | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | Lower house (1758–1928) then unicameral house of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia |
| History | |
| Founded | 1758 |
| Leadership | |
Leader of Opposition | |
House Leader | |
Opposition House Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 55 |
 | |
Political groups | Government
Official Opposition Other Parties |
| Elections | |
Last election | August 17, 2021 |
Next election | TBD |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Legislative Chamber, Province House, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | |
| Website | |
| nslegislature.ca/ | |
The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (French: Assemblée législative de la Nouvelle-Écosse; Scottish Gaelic: Taigh Seanaidh Alba Nuadh), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia. The assembly is the oldest in Canada, having first sat in 1758;[1] in 1848, it was the site of the first responsible government in the British Empire. Bills passed by the House of Assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia[2] in the name of the King in Right of Nova Scotia.
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 55 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing 55 electoral districts.[3] 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 originally 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.
