ANNO TRICESIMO VTCTOR.LE REGIN.,E. +3Nk'**+'MM**s'#0M#++Wifly4JIa** ****** Mild,o-*.**Yi +Y2 41P*: !!ilF+t * *****ii** C A P. M. An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswvick, 'and the Government thereof;' and for Purposes connected therewith. [29th March 1867.] HEREAS the Provinces of Granada, Nova S'ootia, and : Now Bra wick have expressed their Desire to ' be federally united , into One Dominion under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great BrUai# and Ireland,, with a Consti- 'tution similar in Priuoiplf, to that of the United Kingdom And whereas such a Union would conduce to the Welfare of 'the Pi°ovihoes` and promote the Interests of the Brith Empire : 'And whereas on the Establishment of the 'Union by Authority of 'Parliament it is expedient, not only that the Constitution of the Legislative Authority in the Dominion be provided for, but also that the Nature of the Executive Government therein be declared : And whereas it is expedient that Provision be -made for the eventual Admission into the Union of other Parts` of British North, America : Be ' it therefore enacted and declared by the ' Queen's' most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual C, and, 10 30° VICTORI.E, Cap.3. British North America. and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows : I.-PRELIMINARY. Short Title. 1. This Act may be cited as The British North America Act, 1867. Application 2. The Provisions of this Act referring to Her Majesty the Queen o`.' Provisions referring to extend also to the Heirs and Successors of Her Majesty, Kings and the Queen. Queens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. II.-UNION. Declaration 3, It shall be lawful for the Queen.by and with the Advice of Union. of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, to declare by Proclamation that, on and after a Day therein appointed, not being more than Six Months after the passing of this Act, the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick shall form and be One Dominion under the Name of Canada ; and on and after that Day those Three Provinces shall form and be One Dominion under that Name accordingly. Construction 4. The subsequent Provisions of this Act shall, unless it is of subse- otherwise expressed or implied, commence and have effect on and quent Provi- sions of Act. after the Union, that is to say, on and after the Day appointed for the Union taking effect in the Queen's Proclamation ; and in the same Provisions, unless it is otherwise expressed or implied, the Name Canada shall be taken to mean Canada as constituted under this Act. Four Pro- 5. Canada shall be divided into Four Provinces, named Ontario, vinces. Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Provinces of 6. The Parts of the Province of Canada (as it exists at the Ontario and passing of this Ac ) which formerly constituted respectively the Quebec. Provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada shall be deemed to be severed, and shall form Two separate Provinces. The Part which formerly constituted the Province of Upper Canada shall constitute the Province of Ontario; and the Part which formerly constituted the Province of Lower Canada shall constitute the Province of Quebec. Provinces of 7. The Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick shall have Nova Scotia and New the same Limits as at the passing of this Act. Brunswick. Decennial 8. In the general Census of the Population of Canada which is Census. hereby required to be taken in the Year One thousand eight hundred and 300 VICTORLE, Cap.3. 11 British North America. and seventy-one, and in every Tenth Year, thereafter, the respective Populations of the Four Provinces shall be distinguished. III.-ExEcuTivE POWER. Declaration- 9. The Executive Government and Authority of and - over of Executive Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Power in the Queen. Queen. 10. The Provisions of this Act referring to the Governor Application of Provisions General extend and apply to the Governor General for the Time referring to being of Canada, or other the Chief Executive Officer or Adminis- Governor trator for the Time being carrying on the Government. of Canada General. on behalf and in the Name of the Queen, by whatever Title he is designated. 11. There shall be a Council to aid and advise in the Govern- Constitution of Privy ment of Canada, to be styled the Queen's Privy Council for Canada; Council for and the Persons who are to be Members of that, Council shall be Canada. from. Time to Time chosen and summoned by the Governor General and sworn in as Privy Councillors, and Members thereof may be from Time to Time removed by the Governor General. 12. All Powers, Authorities, and Functions which under any Act All Powers Great or the Parliament unclerActs to of the Parliament of Britain, of of the be exercised United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of the Legis- by'Governor Upper Canada, Lower. Canada, Canada, Nova Scotia, or General lature of with' Advice New Brunswick, are at the Union vested in or exerciseable by the of Privy respective Governors or Lieutenant Governors of those Provinces,. Council, or alone: - with, the Advice, or with the Advice and Consent, of the respective Executive, Councils thereof, or in conjunction with-those Councils, or with any Number of Members thereof, or by those Governors or Lieutenant Governors individually, shall, as far as the same continue in existence and capable of being exercised after the Union in relation to the Governn tent of Canada, be vested in and. exercise- able by the Governor General, with the Advice or with the Advice and Consent of or in conjunction with the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, or any Members thereof, or by the Governor General individually, as the Case requires, subject nevertheless (except with respect to such as exist under Acts of the Parliament of Great ,Britain or of the Parliament of 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) to be abolished or 'altered by the Parliament of Canada. 13. The Provisions of this Act referring to the Governor General Application be construed as referring to the Governor General of Provisions in Council shall referring to acting 12 30°VICTORLE, Cap-3. British North A merica. Governor acting by and with the Advice of the Queen's Privy Council for General in Council. Canada. Power to 14. It shall be lawful for the Queen, if Her Majesty thinks fit, Her Majesty to authorize the to authorize Governor General from Time to Time to appoint Governor any Person or any Persons jointly or severally to be his Deputy or General to Deputies within any Part or Parts of Canada, appoint and in that Capacity Deputies. to exercise during the Pleas-Lire of the Governor General such of the Powers, Authorities, and Functions of the Governor General as the Governor General deems it necessary or expedient to assign to him or them, subject to any Limitations or Directions expressed or given by the Queen ; but the Appointment of such a Deputy or Deputies shall not affect the Exercise by the Governor General himself of any Power, Authority, or Function. Command 15. The Command-in-Chief of the Land and. Naval Militia, of armed and of and Forces to all Naval Military Forces, of and in Canada, is hereby continue to declared to continue and be vested in the Queen. be vested in the Queen. Seat of Go- 16. Until the Queen otherwise directs, the Seat of Government vernment of of Canada shall be"Ottawa. Canada. IV.-LEGISLATIVE POWER. Constitution 17. There shall be One Parliament for Canada, consisting of the, of Parlia- Queen, ment of an Upper House styled the Senate, and the House of Canada. Commons. Privileges, 18. The Privileges, Immunities, and Powers to be held, enjoyed, &c. of and exercised by the Senate and by the House of Commons and Houses. by the Members thereof respectively shall be such as are from Time to Time defined by Act of the Parliament of Canada, but so that the same shall never exceed those at the passing of this Act held, enjoyed, and exercised by the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and by the Members thereof. First Session, 19. The Parliament of Canada shall be called together not later of the Parlia- ment of than Six Months after the Union. Canada. Yearly Ses- 20. There shall be a Session of the Parliament of Canada once lion of the least in ever Year, so that Twelve Months shall intervene Parliament at ' not of Canada. between the last Sitting of the Parliament i one Session and its first Sitting in the next Session. The 30° VICTOR LE, Cap.3. 13 British North America. The, Senate. 21. The Senate shall, subject to the Provisions of this Act, consist Number of of Seventy-two Members, who shall be styled Senators. Senators. 22. In relation to the Constitution of the Senate Canada shall be Representa- tion of Pro- deemed to consist of Three Divisions : vinces in 1. Ontario ; Senate. 2. Quebec ; 3. The Maritime Provinces, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ; which Three Divisions shall (subject to the Provisions of this Act) be equally represented in the Senate as follows : Ontario by Twenty-four Senators ; Quebec ' by Twenty-four Senators ; and the Maritime Provinces by Twenty-four Senators, Twelve. thereof representing Nova Scotia, and Twelve thereof representing New Brunswick.