The 8th Parliament of the Province of Canada was summoned in August 1863, following the general election for the Legislative Assembly in August 1863. The Parliament was abolished when the British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1867 ) came into force on July 1, 1867, creating the new country of Canada.
The members were elected in a mixture of multi-member districts (four in East Canada, ten in West Canada), each electing two members, and single-member districts, using Block voting and first past the post respectively.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly was Lewis Wallbridge.
The first session of this Parliament sat from 13 August 1863 to 15 October 1863. [1] Sessions were held in Quebec City until the fourth session 8 August 1865 to 18 September 1865. [2]
The fifth and last session was held in Ottawa in the newly completed Parliament building 8 June 1866 to 15 August 1866. [3] This was the last session of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada. Following Confederation the following year, it was succeeded by the 1st Legislative Assembly of Ontario in Toronto, the 1st Quebec Legislature in Quebec City, and the 1st Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.
Most members went on to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, while others served at provincial level either in Quebec or Ontario, were appointed to the Senate of Canada, as a provincial Lieutenant Governor or to another government post, or retired from politics altogether.