Legislative Council of Quebec
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
was the elected lower house.
The Council was composed of 24 members, appointed until 1963 for life and thereafter until the age of 75 by the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant-Governors of Quebec
The following is a list of the Lieutenant Governors of Quebec. Though the present day office of the lieutenant governor in Quebec came into being only upon the province's entry into Canadian Confederation in 1867, the post is a continuation from the first governorship of New France in 1627, through...
upon recommendation of the Premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
. Each councillor nominally represented a portion of the Province of Quebec called a division.
The Council had the right to introduce bills, except of a financial nature, and to amend or veto bills passed by the Legislative Assembly. Its speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
, known in French as Orateur, was by right a member of the Cabinet, and its members could serve as ministers or even Premier. Two of Quebec premiers, Charles-Eugène Boucher de Boucherville and John Jones Ross
John Jones Ross
John Jones Ross, PC was born in Quebec City, Canada. He was the son of a Scots-Quebecer merchant, George McIntosh Ross, and his French-Canadian wife Sophie-Éloïse Gouin.-Province of Canada Assembly:...
were members of the Legislative Council.
In 1968, the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
was abolished, and the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
was renamed the National Assembly
National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the Province of Quebec. The Lieutenant Governor and the National Assembly compose the Parliament of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other British-style parliamentary systems.The National Assembly was formerly the...
. As a consequence, Quebec has a unicameral legislature. The establishment of the original system dates back to the Constitutional Act of 1791
Constitutional Act of 1791
The Constitutional Act of 1791, formally The Clergy Endowments Act, 1791 , is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain...
.
The Union Nationale government of Premier Jean-Jacques Bertrand
Jean-Jacques Bertrand
Jean-Jacques Bertrand was the 21st Premier of Quebec, Canada, from October 2, 1968 to May 12, 1970. He led the Union Nationale party.-Member of the legislature:...
passed the legislation, known as "Bill 90", to implement the change. Previous governments had made unsuccessful attempts to eliminate the upper chamber. In fact, the first attempt dated all the way back to Félix-Gabriel Marchand
Félix-Gabriel Marchand
Félix-Gabriel Marchand was a journalist, author, notary and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the 11th Premier of Quebec from May 24, 1897 to September 25, 1900....
in the late nineteenth century. Quebec was the last of the provinces to abolish its unelected upper house.
The large chamber which used to house the Legislative Council is also known in French as le salon rouge (the red hall) and in English as "the Red Room" because of the predominance of this colour on the walls. It is now used for committee meetings and for important state functions that require a large, impressive hall, such as inductions into the National Order of Quebec
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
.
Speakers of the Legislative Council of Quebec (1867-1968)
- John Jones RossJohn Jones RossJohn Jones Ross, PC was born in Quebec City, Canada. He was the son of a Scots-Quebecer merchant, George McIntosh Ross, and his French-Canadian wife Sophie-Éloïse Gouin.-Province of Canada Assembly:...
1873-1874 - Félix-Hyacinthe LemaireFélix-Hyacinthe LemaireFélix-Hyacinthe Lemaire , was a political figure in Quebec.He was born in Lac des Deux-Montagnes near Oka, the son of a carpenter and his wife. Lamaire became a notary in 1836 and was appointed agent of the Seminary of St. Sulpice. He served as a Major in the local militia and was a clerk to the...
1874-1876 - John Jones RossJohn Jones RossJohn Jones Ross, PC was born in Quebec City, Canada. He was the son of a Scots-Quebecer merchant, George McIntosh Ross, and his French-Canadian wife Sophie-Éloïse Gouin.-Province of Canada Assembly:...
1876-1878 - Henry StarnesHenry StarnesHenry Starnes was a Quebec businessman and political figure.- Biography :He was born in Kingston in Upper Canada in 1816 and studied at the Montreal Academical Institution and the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He began work with James Leslie's food importing business in Montreal and became a...
1878-1879 - John Jones RossJohn Jones RossJohn Jones Ross, PC was born in Quebec City, Canada. He was the son of a Scots-Quebecer merchant, George McIntosh Ross, and his French-Canadian wife Sophie-Éloïse Gouin.-Province of Canada Assembly:...
1879-1882 - Pierre Boucher de la BruèrePierre Boucher de la BruèrePierre Boucher de la Bruère was a Canadian lawyer, journalist, author, office holder, and politician....
1882-1889 - Henry StarnesHenry StarnesHenry Starnes was a Quebec businessman and political figure.- Biography :He was born in Kingston in Upper Canada in 1816 and studied at the Montreal Academical Institution and the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He began work with James Leslie's food importing business in Montreal and became a...
1889-1892 - Pierre Boucher de la BruèrePierre Boucher de la BruèrePierre Boucher de la Bruère was a Canadian lawyer, journalist, author, office holder, and politician....
1892-1895 - Thomas ChapaisThomas ChapaisSir Joseph Amable Thomas Chapais was a French Canadian author, editor, historian, journalist, professor, and politician....
1895-1897 - Vildebon-Winceslas LarueVildebon-Winceslas LarueVildebon-Winceslas Larue was a member of the Legislative Council of Quebec.A notary by profession, Larue opened his practice in 1873 and was chairman of the Chamber of Notaries from 1891 to 1894...
1897 - Horace ArchambeaultHorace ArchambeaultSir Horace Archambeault was a politician and judge in the Canadian province of Quebec.He was born in L'Assomption, Quebec in 1857, the son of Louis Archambeault. In 1888, Archambeault replaced his father as representative for the division of Repentigny in the Legislative Council of Quebec...
1897-1909 - Adélard TurgeonAdélard TurgeonAdélard Turgeon, was a Canadian lawyer and politician.Born in Saint-Étienne-de-Beaumont , Lower Canada, Turgeon attended the Collège de Lévis before receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree from Université Laval at Quebec. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1887 and started a law career...
1909-1930 - Jacob NicolJacob NicolJacob Nicol was a Canadian lawyer, newspaper publisher, and politician.-Early life:Born in Roxton Pond, Quebec, the son of Philip Nicol, farmer and tool manufacturer, and Sophie Cloutier, Nicol was educated at Feller College, McMaster University, and Université Laval à Québec...
1930-1934 - Hector LafertéHector LafertéHector Laferté was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Drummond in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1919 to 1935 as a Liberal. Laferté was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1924 to 1929.He was born in Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Drummond County, Quebec, the son of...
1934-1936 - Alphonse RaymondAlphonse RaymondAlphonse Raymond was a Quebec businessman, financier and public official.He was born in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec and educated at Quebec's Normal School...
1936-1940 - Hector LafertéHector LafertéHector Laferté was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Drummond in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1919 to 1935 as a Liberal. Laferté was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1924 to 1929.He was born in Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Drummond County, Quebec, the son of...
1940-1944 - Alphonse RaymondAlphonse RaymondAlphonse Raymond was a Quebec businessman, financier and public official.He was born in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec and educated at Quebec's Normal School...
1944-1950 - Jean-Louis BaribeauJean-Louis BaribeauJean-Louis Baribeau was a Canadian politician and a Member of the House of Commons.-Background:He was born on March 19, 1893 in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Mauricie, the son of Donat Baribeau and Joséphine Lacroix, and was educated in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, at the Collège Sacré-Coeur in...
1950-1960 - Hector LafertéHector LafertéHector Laferté was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Drummond in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1919 to 1935 as a Liberal. Laferté was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1924 to 1929.He was born in Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Drummond County, Quebec, the son of...
1960-1966 - Jean-Louis BaribeauJean-Louis BaribeauJean-Louis Baribeau was a Canadian politician and a Member of the House of Commons.-Background:He was born on March 19, 1893 in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Mauricie, the son of Donat Baribeau and Joséphine Lacroix, and was educated in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, at the Collège Sacré-Coeur in...
1966-1968
See also
- Legislative Council of Lower CanadaLegislative Council of Lower CanadaThe Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
- Legislative Council of the Province of CanadaLegislative Council of the Province of CanadaThe Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...