The British North America Act, 1867 | Page 3

shall be a
Session of the Parliament of Canada once at least in every Year, so that
Twelve Months shall not intervene between the last Sitting of the

Parliament in one Session and its first Sitting in the next Session.
The Senate.
21. [Number of Senators.] The Senate shall, subject to the Provisions of
this Act, consist of Seventy-two Members, who shall be styled
Senators.
22. [Representation of Provinces in Senate.] In relation to the
Constitution of the Senate, Canada shall be deemed to consist of Three
Divisions:
1. Ontario; 2. Quebec; 3. The Maritime Provinces, Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick;
which Three Divisions shall (subject to the Provisions of this Act) be
equally represented in the Senate as follows: Ontario by Twenty-four
Senators; Quebec by Twenty-four Senators; and the Maritime
Provinces by Twenty-four Senators, Twelve thereof representing Nova
Scotia, and Twelve thereof representing New Brunswick.
In the Case of Quebec each of the Twenty-four Senators representing
that Province shall be appointed for One of the Twenty-four Electoral
Divisions of Lower Canada specified in Schedule A. to Chapter One of
the Consolidated Statutes of Canada.
23. [Qualifications of Senator.] The Qualifications of a Senator shall be
as follows:
(1.) He shall be of the full age of Thirty Years: (2.) He shall be either a
Natural-born Subject of the Queen, or a Subject of the Queen
naturalized by an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, or of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of
the Legislature of One of the Provinces of Upper Canada, Lower
Canada, Canada, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick, before the Union, or
of the Parliament of Canada after the Union: (3.) He shall be legally or
equitably seised as of Freehold for his own Use and Benefit of Lands or
Tenements held in Free and Common Socage, or seised or possessed

for his own Use and Benefit of Lands or Tenements held in Franc-alleu
or in Roture, within the Province for which he is appointed, of the
Value of Four thousand Dollars, over and above all Rents, Dues, Debts,
Charges, Mortgages, and Incumbrances due or payable out of or
charged on or affecting the same: (4.) His Real and Personal Property
shall be together worth Four thousand Dollars over and above his Debts
and Liabilities: (5.) He shall be resident in the Province for which he is
appointed: (6.) In the case of Quebec he shall have his Real Property
Qualification in the Electoral Division for which he is appointed, or
shall be resident in that Division.
24. [Summons of Senator.] The Governor General shall from Time to
Time, in the Queen's Name, by Instrument under the Great Seal of
Canada, summon qualified Persons to the Senate; and, subject to the
Provisions of this Act, every Person so summoned shall become and be
a Member of the Senate and a Senator.
25. [Summons of First Body of Senators.] Such Persons shall be first
summoned to the Senate as the Queen by Warrant under Her Majesty's
Royal Sign Manual thinks fit to approve, and their Names shall be
inserted in the Queen's Proclamation of Union.
26. [Addition of Senators in certain Cases.] If at any Time on the
Recommendation of the Governor General the Queen thinks fit to
direct that Three or Six Members be added to the Senate, the Governor
General may by Summons to Three or Six qualified Persons (as the
Case may be), representing equally the Three Divisions of Canada, add
to the Senate accordingly.
27. [Reduction of Senate to normal number.] In case of such Addition
being at any Time made, the Governor General shall not summon any
Person to the Senate, except on a further like Direction by the Queen on
the like Recommendation, until each of the Three Divisions of Canada
is represented by Twenty-four Senators and no more.
28. [Maximum Number of Senators.] The Number of Senators shall not
at any Time exceed Seventy-eight.

29. [Tenure of Place in Senate.] A Senator shall, subject to the
Provisions of this Act, hold his Place in the Senate for Life.
30. [Resignation of Place in Senate.] A Senator may by Writing under
his Hand addressed to the Governor General resign his Place in the
Senate, and thereupon the same shall be vacant.
31. [Disqualification of Senators.] The Place of a Senator shall become
vacant in any of the following Cases:--
(1.) If for Two consecutive Sessions of the Parliament he fails to give
his Attendance in the Senate: (2.) If he takes an Oath or makes a
Declaration or Acknowledgment of Allegiance, Obedience, or
Adherence to a Foreign Power, or does an Act whereby he becomes a
Subject or Citizen, or entitled to the Rights or Privileges of a Subject or
Citizen, of a Foreign Power: (3.) If