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An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick,and the Government thereof; and for Purposes connected therewith.
[29th March, 1867.]
Whereas the Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick haveexpressed their Desire to be federally united into One Dominion underthe Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with aConstitution similar in Principle to that of the United Kingdom:
And whereas such a Union would conduce to the Welfare of the Provincesand promote the Interests of the British Empire:
And whereas on the Establishment of the Union by Authority of Parliamentit is expedient, not only that the Constitution of the LegislativeAuthority in the Dominion be provided for, but also that the Nature ofthe Executive Government therein be declared:
And whereas it is expedient that Provision be made for the eventual
Admission into the Union of other Parts of British North America:
Be it therefore enacted and declared by the Queen's most Excellent
Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and
Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by
the Authority of the same, as follows:
1. [Short Title.] This Act may be cited as The British North AmericaAct, 1867.
2. [Application of Provisions referring to the Queen.] The Provisions ofthis Act referring to Her Majesty the Queen extend also to the Heirs andSuccessors of Her Majesty, Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom ofGreat Britain and Ireland.
3. [Declaration of Union] It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and withthe Advice of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, to declare byProclamation that, on and after a Day therein appointed, not being morethan Six Months after the passing of this Act, the Provinces of Canada,Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick shall form and be One Dominion under theName of Canada; and on and after that Day those Three Provinces shallform and be One Dominion under that Name accordingly.
4. [Construction of subsequent Provisions of Act.] The subsequentProvisions of this Act shall, unless it is otherwise expressed orimplied, commence and have effect on and after the Union, that is tosay, on and after the Day appointed for the Union taking effect in theQueen's Proclamation; and in the same Provisions, unless it is otherwiseexpressed or implied, the Name Canada shall be taken to mean Canada asconstituted under this Act.
5. [Four Provinces.] Canada shall be divided into Four Provinces, namedOntario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
6. [Provinces of Ontario and Quebec.] The Parts of the Province ofCanada (as it exists at the passing of this Act) which formerlyconstituted respectively the Provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canadashall be deemed to be severed, and shall form two separate Provinces.The Part which formerly constituted the Province of Upper Canada shallconstitute the Province of Ontario; and the Part which formerlyconstituted the Province of Lower Canada shall constitute the Provinceof Quebec.
7. [Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.] The Provinces