1st Quebec Legislature

Legislature of Quebec Législature du Québec
First Legislature, 1867 - 1871
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Legislative Council Legislative Assembly
Term limits	Four years, subject to earlier dissolution
History
Founded	July 1, 1867 (1867-07-01)
Succeeded by	Second Legislature of Quebec, 1871-1875
Leadership
Monarch	Victoria
Lieutenant Governor	Narcisse-Fortunat Belleau
Premier	Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau, Conservative
Speaker of the Legislative Council	Charles Boucher de Boucherville, Conservative
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly	Joseph-Goderic Blanchet, Conservative
Leader of the Opposition	Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (from 1869 onwards), Liberal
Structure
Seats	Legislative Council: 24 Legislative Assembly: 65
Legislative Council political groups	Conservatives 21 Liberals 3
Legislative Assembly political groups	Conservatives 51 Liberals 12 Independent 1 Vacant 1
Elections
Legislative Council voting system	Life appointments
Legislative Assembly voting system	Single member constituencies First-past-the-post voting Open ballot system Adult male franchise with property qualification
Constitution
British North America Act, 1867

The First Legislature of Quebec was summoned in 1867 when the new Canadian province of Quebec was created, as part of the new country of Canada.

The legislature had two chambers: the elected lower house, the Legislative Assembly, and the appointed upper house, the Legislative Council. The first general election for the Legislative Assembly was held in August and September, 1867, and returned a majority for the Quebec Conservative Party led by Premier Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau. The Liberal Party of Quebec formed the Official Opposition.

The Chauveau government then appointed the first members to the Legislative Council in November, 1867, who were sworn into their positions in December, 1867. The Conservatives had a strong majority in the Legislative Council.

The first session of the legislature was called on December 27, 1867. The legislature had four annual sessions, until its dissolution on May 27, 1871, triggering the second general election.