Legislative Council of Quebec

The Legislative Council of Quebec (French Conseil législatif du Québec ) was the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of the Canadian province of Quebec. It existed from 1867 to 1968 and consisted of 24 appointed members.

History

The council members were appointed until 1963 for life, then there was an age limit of 75 years. The appointment was made by the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of the Prime Minister of the province. Each Council member represented nominally a part of Quebec, which was designated as Division and corresponded to the classification of Senate divisions.

The Legislative Council had the right to introduce new bills, except in financial matters. In addition, he was able to modify or reject approved by the Legislative Assembly ( lower house) bills. The President of the Council ( Orateur ) was automatically a member of the provincial government, other council members could belong to the government or even be Prime Minister. So were the two Prime Ministers Charles -Eugène Boucher de Boucherville and John Jones Ross members of the Legislative Council.

First attempts to abolish the unelected House of Lords, it was already the end of the 19th century. However, this was only in 1968 during the reign of Jean -Jacques Bertrand ( National Union ). The Legislative Council was dissolved and renamed the Legislative Assembly in the National Assembly of Quebec. Since then, Quebec has a unicameral parliament. It was the last Canadian province that had abolished the House of Lords.

The great room in the parliament building in Quebec, where met the Legislative Council, is referred to as a salon rouge because of the dominant red color. He now serves for committee meetings and for important state occasions that require an impressive hall. These include the induction ceremonies in the Ordre national du Québec.