The 5th Parliament of the Province of Canada was summoned in August 1854, following the general election for the Legislative Assembly in July 1854. The number of seats in the Assembly had been increased by the 4th Parliament of the Province of Canada to 130, 65 for each section. Sessions were held in Quebec City until 1856 and then in Toronto. The Parliament was dissolved in November 1857.

Contents

• Members
• Canada East – 65 seats
• Canada West – 65 seats
• Notes
• References
• External links

About the time of the election of the 5th Parliament in 1854, the government negotiated the Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty.

The 1854 election was flawed by excessive turnout due to vote fraud. In the county of Saguenay, more votes were cast than its total population. ^[1] This occurred despite restrictions on the franchise through application of a property-owners' and age qualification and also due to use of voter registration. John A. Macdonald was unwilling to be drawn into granting a wide franchise and also unwilling to use old restricted franchise rules so the 1857 election would be held using complex rules and a reliance on a multitude of oaths. ^[1]

During the 5th Parliament, in 1854 and 1855, measures were introduced to abolish seigneurial tenure in Canada East and the clergy reserves in Canada West. A bill was passed in 1855 to make the Legislative Council an elected body, effective the following year. The Audit Act of 1855 established an auditor of public accounts, the first auditor general and the Audit Board, a new government department, which reviewed the public accounts.

The Speaker of this parliament was Louis-Victor Sicotte.

Members

Notes

References

Bibliography

• George Emery, Elections in Oxford County 1838–1875, University of Toronto Press (2011)
• Upper Canadian politics in the 1850s, Underhill (and others), University of Toronto Press (1967)
• Côté, George Oliver (1860). Political appointments and elections in the province of Canada. 1841 to 1860. St. Michael & Darveau.

External links

• Ontario's parliament buildings ; or, A century of legislation, 1792–1892 : a historical sketch
• Assemblée nationale du Québec (French)