The British North America Act, 1867 | Page 5

apply to Elections of Members to serve in the House of
Commons for the same several Provinces.
Provided that, until the Parliament of Canada otherwise provides, at
any Election for a Member of the House of Commons for the District
of Algoma, in addition to Persons qualified by the Law of the Province
of Canada to vote, every male British Subject, aged Twenty-one Years
or upwards, being a Householder, shall have a Vote.
42. [Writs for First Election.] For the First Election of Members to
serve in the House of Commons the Governor General shall cause
Writs to be issued by such Person, in such Form, and addressed to such
Returning Officers as he thinks fit.
The Person issuing Writs under this Section shall have the like Powers
as are possessed at the Union by the Officers charged with the issuing
of Writs for the Election of Members to serve in the respective House
of Assembly or Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, Nova
Scotia, or New Brunswick; and the Returning Officers to whom Writs
are directed under this Section shall have the like Powers as are
possessed at the Union by the Officers charged with the returning of
Writs for the Election of Members to serve in the same respective
House of Assembly or Legislative Assembly.
43. [As to Casual Vacancies.] In case a Vacancy in the Representation
in the House of Commons of any Electoral District happens before the
Meeting of the Parliament, or after the Meeting of the Parliament
before Provision is made by the Parliament in this Behalf, the
Provisions of the last foregoing Section of this Act shall extend and
apply to the issuing and returning of a Writ in respect of such Vacant
District.
44. [As to Election of Speaker of House of Commons.] The House of
Commons on its first assembling after a General Election shall proceed
with all practicable Speed to elect One of its Members to be Speaker.
45. [As to filling up Vacancy in Office of Speaker.] In case of a

Vacancy happening in the Office of Speaker by Death, Resignation, or
otherwise, the House of Commons shall with all practicable Speed
proceed to elect another of its Members to be Speaker.
46. [Speaker to preside.] The Speaker shall preside at all Meetings of
the House of Commons.
47. [Provision in case of Absence of Speaker.] Until the Parliament of
Canada otherwise provides, in case of the Absence for any Reason of
the Speaker from the Chair of the House of Commons for a Period of
Forty-eight consecutive Hours, the House may elect another of its
Members to act as Speaker, and the Member so elected shall during the
Continuance of such Absence of the Speaker have and execute all the
Powers, Privileges, and Duties of Speaker.
48. [Quorum of House of Commons.] The Presence of at least Twenty
Members of the House of Commons shall be necessary to constitute a
Meeting of the House for the Exercise of its Powers; and for that
Purpose the Speaker shall be reckoned as a Member.
49. [Voting in House of Commons.] Questions arising in the House of
Commons shall be decided by a Majority of Voices other than that of
the Speaker, and when the Voices are equal, but not otherwise, the
Speaker shall have a Vote.
50. [Duration of House of Commons.] Every House of Commons shall
continue for Five Years from the Day of the Return of the Writs for
choosing the House (subject to be sooner dissolved by the Governor
General), and no longer.
51. [Decennial Re-adjustment of Representation.] On the Completion
of the Census in the Year One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one,
and of each subsequent decennial Census, the Representation of the
Four Provinces shall be readjusted by such Authority, in such Manner,
and from such Time, as the Parliament of Canada from Time to Time
provides, subject and according to the following Rules:
(1.) Quebec shall have the fixed Number of Sixty-five Members: (2.)

There shall be assigned to each of the other Provinces such a Number
of Members as will bear the same Proportion to the Number of its
Population (ascertained at such Census) as the Number Sixty-five bears
to the Number of the Population of Quebec (so ascertained): (3.) In the
Computation of the Number of Members for a Province a fractional
Part not exceeding One Half of the whole Number requisite for
entitling the Province to a Member shall be disregarded; but a
fractional Part exceeding One Half of that Number shall be equivalent
to the whole Number: (4.) On any such Re-adjustment the Number of
Members for a Province shall not be reduced unless the Proportion
which the Number of the Population of the Province bore to the
Number of the aggregate Population