List of senators in the 1st Parliament of Canada

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This is a list of members of the Senate of Canada in the 1st Parliament of Canada .

Contents

Queen Victoria granted royal assent to the British North America Act on March 29, 1867, forming the new nation of Canada on July 1. Dominion elections were held in August and September to elect the first House of Commons. The proclamation of Confederation on May 22 had named the 72 men (24 each for Quebec and Ontario, 12 each for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) who would sit in the Senate.

The 72 seats in the initial Senate were divided as follows: 24 to Ontario, 24 to Quebec, 12 to New Brunswick, 12 to Nova Scotia. Of the 72 appointed, two declined the appointment, and 2 seats remained vacant.

The province of Quebec has 24 Senate divisions which are constitutionally mandated. In all other provinces, a Senate division is strictly an optional designation of the senator's own choosing, and has no real constitutional or legal standing. A senator who does not choose a special senate division is designated a senator for the province at large.

On July 15, 1870, Manitoba became the 5th Canadian province and was allotted 2 seats in the Senate. With the increase, the number of seats in the Senate rose to 74. The seats were not filled until December 13, 1871, when Lord Lisgar, on the advice of John A. Macdonald, filled those two seats.

On July 20, 1871, British Columbia became the 6th Canadian province and was allotted 3 seats in the Senate, bringing the combined number of seats in the Senate to 77. On December 13, 1871, Lord Lisgar, on the advice of John A. Macdonald, appointed three persons to fill those seats.

List of senators

Senators at the beginning of the 1st Parliament

† Members of the Liberal-Conservative Party were associated with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Senators appointed during the 1st Parliament

† Members of the Liberal-Conservative Party were associated with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Changes in party affiliation during the 1st Parliament

DateNameParty (current)Party (previously)Details
 November 2, 1867 Joseph-Édouard Cauchon Independent Conservative Conservative
 January 30, 1869 Archibald McLelan Conservative Anti-Confederate

See also

References

  1. ↑ Senator Mitchell resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  2. ↑ Senator Sanborn resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  3. ↑ Senator Tessier resigned after the Dissolution of the 1st Parliament on July 8, 1872, but before the convening of the 2nd Parliament on March 5, 1873.
  4. ↑ "Senators: 1st Parliament of Canada". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
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