Legislative Council of Lower Canada

Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada

Conseil législatif du Bas-Canada
Type
Type
History
Founded1791 (1791)
Disbanded1838 (1838)
Preceded byCouncil for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec
Succeeded byLegislative Council of the Province of Canada (following the temporary Special Council of Lower Canada)

The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the Parliament of Lower Canada from 1792 until 1838. The Legislative Council consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was created by the Constitutional Act. Many of the members first called in the Council in 1792 had served as councillors in the Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec.

The council came to be dominated by the Château Clique, members of the province's most powerful families who were generally interested in preserving the status quo. Both the upper and lower houses were dissolved on March 27, 1838 following the Lower Canada Rebellion and Lower Canada was administered by an appointed Special Council.

Following the Act of Union in 1840, the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was created in 1841.