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ANNO TRICESIMO.
VICTORIE REGINE.

CAP. III.

An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Government thereof, and for Purposes connected therewith.

[29th March, 1867.]

WHEREAS the Provinces of Canada,

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have expressed their Desire to be federally united into One Dominion under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with a Constitution similar in Principle to that of the United Kingdom:

And whereas such a Union would conduce to the Welfare of the Provinces and promote the Interests of the British 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

Short Title

Applica

visions re

the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:

I. PRELIMINARY.

1. This Act may be cited as the British North America Act, 1867.

2. The Provisions of this Act referring to tion of Pro Her Majesty the Queen extend also to the ferring to Heirs and Successors of Her Majesty, Kings the Queen. and Queens of the United Kingdom of Great

Declaration of Union.

Construction of subsequent

Britain and Ireland.

II.-UNION.

3. It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and with the Advice of Her Majesty's Most Honorable 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.

4. The subsequent Provisions of this Act shall, unless it is otherwise expressed or imProvisions plied, commence and have effect on and after of Act. the Union, that is to say, on and after the

Day

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.

vinces.

5. Canada shall be divided into Four Pro- Four Pro vinces, named Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

of Ontario

6. The Parts of the Province of Canada Provinces (as it exists at the passing of this Act) which and Queformerly constituted respectively the Pro- bec. vinces 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.

7. The Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Provinces Brunswick shall have the same Limits as at the passing of this Act.

of Nova
Scotia
and New
Brunswick

Census.

8. In the general Census of the Population Decennial of Canada which is hereby required to be taken in the Year One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and in every Tenth Year thereafter, the respective Populations of the Four Provinces shall be distinguished.

Declaration of

III.-EXECUTIVE POWER.

9. The Executive Government and Author

Executive ity of and over Canada is hereby declared to Power in continue and be vested in the Queen. the Queen.

Applica

visions re

General.

10. The Provisions of this Act referring tion of Pro to the Governor General extend and apply ferring to to the Governor General for the Time being Governor of Canada, or other the Chief Executive Officer or Administrator for the Time being carrying on the Government of Canada on behalf and in the Name of the Queen, by whatever Title he is designated.

Constitution of

Privy

11. There shall be a Council to aid and advise the Government of Canada, to be Council of styled the Queen's Privy Council for Canada; Canada, and the Persons who are to be Members of that Council shall be 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.

All Powers

to be exer

General

12. All Powers, Authoritics, and Funcunder Acts tions which under any Act of the Parliacised by ment of Great Britain, or of the Parliament Governor of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of the Legislature of Upper Canada, Lower Canada, Čanada, Nova Scotia Council or or New Brunswick, are at the Union vested in or exerciseable by the respective Governors or Lieutenant Governors of those Provinces, with the Advice, or with the Advice

vice of Privy

alone.

and

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 Government of Canada, be vested in and exerciseable 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.

tion of Provisions re

13. The Provisions of this Act referring Applicato the Governor General in Council shall be construed as referring to the Governor Gene- ferring to ral acting by and with the Advice of the Governor Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

General in
Council.

to Her

Governor

14. It shall be lawful for the Queen, if Power Her Majesty thinks fit, to authorize the Majesty to Governor General from Time to Time to authorize appoint any Person or any Persons jointly General to or severally to be his Deputy or Deputies appoint Deputies. within any Part or Parts of Canada, and in that Capacity to exercise during the Plea

sure

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