Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
50th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
Type
Type	Lower house (1832–1934) then unicameral house of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
History
Founded	1832; 192 years ago
Leadership
Speaker	Derek Bennett, Liberal ; since April 12, 2021
Premier	Andrew Furey, Liberal ; since August 19, 2020
Leader of the Opposition	Tony Wakeham, Progressive Conservative ; since October 14, 2023
Government House Leader	Steve Crocker, Liberal ; since August 19, 2020
Opposition House Leader	Barry Petten, Progressive Conservative ; since April 12, 2021
Structure
Seats	40
Political groups	Government Liberal (22); Official Opposition Progressive Conservative (14); Others New Democratic (2); Independent (2);
Elections
Last election	March 25, 2021
Next election	On or before November 24, 2025
Meeting place
	Colonial Building (1850–1959); Confederation Building (1959–present)
Website
	www.assembly.nl.ca

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly (French: Chambre d'assemblée de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador) is the unicameral deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.^[1] It meets in the Confederation Building in St. John's. Bills passed by the assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, in the name of the King of Canada.^[2]

The governing party sits on the left side of the speaker of the House of Assembly as opposed to the traditional right side of the speaker. This tradition dates back to the 1850s as the heaters in the Colonial Building were located on the left side. Thus, the government chose to sit near the heat, and leave the opposition sitting in the cold.^[3]

^ Maher, David. "You could say the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is in its 'infant' stage | The Chronicle Herald". www.thechronicleherald.ca. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
^ Newfoundland Act, 12-13 Geo. VI [1949], c. 22 (U.K.), Sch. 1 (Terms of Union) s. 14
^ O'Neill, Paul (2003). The Oldest City: The Story of St. John's, Newfoundland. St. Philip's, NL: Boulder Publications. p. 336. ISBN 9781459301238.

[1] Maher, David. "You could say the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is in its 'infant' stage | The Chronicle Herald". www.thechronicleherald.ca. Retrieved December 17, 2020.

[2] Newfoundland Act, 12-13 Geo. VI [1949], c. 22 (U.K.), Sch. 1 (Terms of Union) s. 14

[3] O'Neill, Paul (2003). The Oldest City: The Story of St. John's, Newfoundland. St. Philip's, NL: Boulder Publications. p. 336. ISBN 9781459301238.

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