Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick
60th New Brunswick Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1785; 239 years ago (1785)
Preceded byNova Scotia House of Assembly
Leadership
Bill Oliver, PC
since 7 October 2020
Blaine Higgs, PC
since 9 November 2018
Susan Holt, Liberal
since 9 May 2023
Structure
Seats49
Political groups
His Majesty's Government
  •   PC (28)

His Majesty's Loyal Opposition

Other parties

  •   Green (3)
  •   Independent (1)
  •   Vacant (2)
Elections
Last election
September 14, 2020
Next election
TBD
Meeting place
Legislative Building, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Website
www.legnb.ca

The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick (French: Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick) is the deliberative assembly of the New Brunswick Legislature, in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The assembly's seat is located in Fredericton. It was established in Saint John de jure when the colony was created in 1784 but came into session only in 1786, following the first elections in late 1785. The legislative assembly was originally the lower house in a bicameral legislature. Its upper house counterpart, the Legislative Council of New Brunswick, was abolished in 1891. Its members are called "Members of the Legislative Assembly", commonly referred to as "MLAs".

History

Nova Scotia originally covered most of the territory of today's Maritime provinces.[1] In 1784, New Brunswick became a distinct colony from Nova Scotia.[1] Saint John was chosen as the original capital when New Brunswick was formed as it was the centre of commerce and the only city at that time.[2]

The first elections took place in November 1785.[1] The legislative assembly came into session in January 1786.[1] It was originally the lower house in a bicameral legislature.[1] Its upper house counterpart, the Legislative Council of New Brunswick, was abolished on April 16, 1891.[1]

Legislative Building

The New Brunswick Legislative Building is the current building that houses the Assembly. It opened in 1882, having been constructed by J.C. Dumaresq, following the destruction of the original building, known as Province Hall, by fire in 1880.

The legislative chamber is designed to have four rows on the government side and three rows on the opposition side. This is because elections have traditionally yielded a strong government majority; in fact on occasion, even with many of the seats on one side of the House, the government has spilled over to the opposition side. Quite often the House is oriented to have only two rows on the opposition benches, in the event of a large opposition adding a third row makes the opposition benches rather crowded.

Seating plan

Losier Leblanc Landry Cardy
LeBlanc K.Chiasson D'Amours LePage Bourque Mallet Arseneau
Arseneault Legacy HOLT McKee Thériault Gauvin Chiasson COON Mitton
Oliver
Hogan G.Savoie HIGGS Steeves Green Flemming Fitch Holland
R.Savoie Scott-Wallace Austin Dunn Crossman Johnson Ames Turner
Bockus M.Wilson S.Wilson Allain Holder Cullins Shephard Wetmore
Dawson Anderson-Mason Conroy Carr

Current members

Name Party Riding First elected Notes
  Mike Holland Progressive Conservative Albert 2018 g.e.
  Susan Holt Liberal Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore 2023 b.e. Leader of the Opposition
  René Legacy Liberal Bathurst West-Beresford 2020 g.e.
  Guy Arseneault Liberal Campbellton-Dalhousie 2018 g.e.
  Isabelle Thériault Liberal Caraquet 2018 g.e.
  Bill Hogan Progressive Conservative Carleton 2020 g.e.
  Margaret Johnson Progressive Conservative Carleton-Victoria 2020 g.e.
  Richard Ames Progressive Conservative Carleton-York 2020 g.e.
  Richard Losier Liberal Dieppe 2023 b.e.
  Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Edmundston-Madawaska Centre 2018 g.e.
  Kris Austin Progressive Conservative Fredericton-Grand Lake 2018 g.e. Former People's Alliance leader
  Jill Green Progressive Conservative Fredericton North 2020 g.e.
  David Coon Green Fredericton South 2014 g.e. Green Party leader
  Dominic Cardy Independent Fredericton West-Hanwell 2018 g.e. Elected as a Progressive Conservative. Became an Independent Oct. 2022
  Ryan Cullins Progressive Conservative Fredericton-York 2020 g.e.
  Andrea Anderson-Mason Progressive Conservative Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West 2018 g.e.
  Ross Wetmore Progressive Conservative Gagetown-Petitcodiac 2010 g.e.
  Gary Crossman Progressive Conservative Hampton 2014 g.e.
  Kevin Arseneau Green Kent North 2018 g.e.
  Benoît Bourque Liberal Kent South 2014 g.e.
  Bill Oliver Progressive Conservative Kings Centre 2014 g.e.
  Francine Landry Liberal Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston 2014 g.e.
  Megan Mitton Green Memramcook-Tantramar 2018 g.e.
  Michelle Conroy Progressive Conservative Miramichi 2018 g.e.
  Réjean Savoie Progressive Conservative Miramichi Bay-Neguac 2022 b.e.
  Rob McKee Liberal Moncton Centre 2018 g.e.
  Daniel Allain Progressive Conservative Moncton East 2020 g.e.
  Ernie Steeves Progressive Conservative Moncton Northwest 2014 g.e.
  Greg Turner Progressive Conservative Moncton South 2020 g.e.
  Sherry Wilson Progressive Conservative Moncton Southwest 2010 g.e.
  Jeff Carr Progressive Conservative New Maryland-Sunbury 2014 g.e.
  Mary Wilson Progressive Conservative Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton 2018 g.e.
  Trevor Holder Progressive Conservative Portland-Simonds 1999 g.e.
  Blaine Higgs Progressive Conservative Quispamsis 2010 g.e. Premier
  Marco LeBlanc Liberal Restigouche-Chaleur 2023 b.e.
  Gilles LePage Liberal Restigouche West 2014 g.e.
  Bruce Fitch Progressive Conservative Riverview 2003 g.e.
  Ted Flemming Progressive Conservative Rothesay 2012 by-e.
  Kathy Bockus Progressive Conservative Saint Croix 2020 g.e.
  Glen Savoie Progressive Conservative Saint John East 2010 g.e.
  Arlene Dunn Progressive Conservative Saint John Harbour 2020 g.e.
  Dorothy Shephard Progressive Conservative Saint John Lancaster 2010 g.e.
  Robert Gauvin Liberal Shediac Bay-Dieppe 2018 g.e.
  Jacques LeBlanc Liberal Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé 2018 g.e.
  Eric Mallet Liberal Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou 2020 g.e.
  Mike Dawson Progressive Conservative Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin 2022 b.e.
  Tammy Scott-Wallace Progressive Conservative Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins 2020 g.e.
  Keith Chiasson Liberal Tracadie-Sheila 2018 g.e.
  Chuck Chiasson Liberal Victoria-La Vallée 2014 g.e.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Desserud, Donald; Hyson, Stewart (May 2012). "New Brunswick's Legislative Assembly". Canadian Parliamentary Review. 35 (1).
  2. ^ "Fredericton, Saint John capital quarrel revisited in study". CBC. Retrieved July 20, 2017.

Further reading

  • Martin, Ged (2015). "Fredericton versus Saint John: The New Brunswick Seat of Government, 1785-1882". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
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