1st Council of the Northwest Territories

This is a list of appointed and elected members of the 1st Council of the Northwest Territories from 1876 to 1888. Prior to 1876, members were appointed to the Temporary North-West Council.

The first members of the new council were appointed under the Northwest Territories Act. An elected member could join the council if an area of 1000 square miles had 1000 people, and an electoral district could be setup. This created a patchwork of represented and unrepresented areas, and there was no official or independent boundaries commission. The first district was Lorne in 1881.

When the first council formed under the new appointed government in 1876, the council consisted of the lieutenant governor, the chairman (speaker), and two appointed members. Because a quorum could not be maintained, the council had to be adjourned if one member went to the washroom. In 1888 during the first election, the council was 22 members and three appointed legal adviser members.

By-election dates and summaries

Twelve elections took place during the period of 1876–1888. The biggest was the election of 1885 that took place on September 15, 1885. The election saw 11 members in 9 districts returned to the council, due to high population growth in the Northwest Territories at the time. After the 1885 election, elected members gained control over the council, and it became a full assembly. These are not considered general elections, as there was no dissolution of the assembly. However, after four years from the first election, a district had to have another election, and the incumbent had to run for re-election.

For list of elected candidates please see below.

March 23, 1881 Lorne by-election #1

August 13, 1883 Moose Jaw, Regina, Qu'Appelle sub-election

July 8, 1886 Moose Mountain by-election #2

May 24, 1887 Qu'Appelle by-election #3

Appointed members of the 1st Council of the Northwest Territories

ee also

*List of Northwest Territories premiers
*List of Northwest Territories commissioners
*List of Northwest Territories lieutenant-governors
*List of Northwest Territories general elections

External links

* [http://www.saskarchives.com/web/seld/1-00.pdf Electoral history of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories 1876 - 1905]
* [http://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/lt-gov/nwt.htm History of the Lt. Governor of the Northwest Territories]
* [http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/ap/c/c008019.jpgPhoto of the 1886 Legislature]