Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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 (1832)
Leadership
Speaker	Derek Bennett, Liberal Since April 12, 2021
Premier	Andrew Furey, Liberal Since August 19, 2020
Leader of the Opposition	David Brazil, Progressive Conservative Since April 12, 2021
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 (12) Others      New Democratic (3)      Independent (3)
Elections
Last election	March 25, 2021
Next election	2025
Meeting place
Colonial Building (1850-1959) Confederation Building (1959–present)

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is the unicameral deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It meets in the Confederation Building at St. John's. Bills passed by the assembly are given royal assent by the Queen of Canada in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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.

Homes of Legislature

Before 1850 the legislature has sat at various locations including Mary Travers' tavern on Duckworth Street across from War Memorial 1832, St. John's Court House (at Duckworth and Church Hill) from 1833 to 1846, a building on southwest corner of Water Street and Prescott Street (since replaced with office building) and the site of the former St. Patrick’s Hall on Queen’s Road and Garrison Hill (demolished and replace by current building 1880).

Permanent homes of the legislature, Confederation Building and Colonial Building, are the only surviving structures.

Constituencies

Members represent one electoral district each.

Seating plan

Current as of March 2022

Current members (MHAs)

Colonial Building, the House of Assembly of the Dominion of Newfoundland

Newfoundland House of Assembly in Colonial Building, ca. 1914

Party leaders' names are written in bold and cabinet ministers in italic, with the Speaker of the House of Assembly designated by a dagger (†).

Seat total and official layout