IV.  Amerika.  1389  246.  Canada.

with  the  city  of  Halifax  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  for  the  construction  thereof  without
intermission,  and  the  completion  thereof  with  all  practicable  speed.

XI.  Admission  of  Other  Colonies.

146.  It  shall  be  lawful  for  the  queen,  by  and  with  the  advice  of  her  majesty’s
most  honourable  privy  council,  on  addresses  from  the  houses  of  the  parliament  of
Canada  and  from  the  houses  of  the  respective  legislatures  of  the  colonies  or  provinces
of  Newfoundland,  Prince  Edward  Island  and  British  Columbia  to  admit  those  colonies
or  provinces,  or  any  of  them,  into  the  union,  and  on  address  from  the  houses  of  the
parliament  of  Canada  to  admit  Rupert’s  Land  and  the  Northwestern  territory,  or
either  of  them,  into  the  union,  on  such  terms  and  conditions  in  each  case  as  are  in
the  addresses  expressed  and  as  the  queen  thinks  fit  to  approve,  subject  to  the  provisions
  of  this  act;  and  the  provisions  of  any  order  in  council  in  that  behalf  shall
have  effect  as  if  they  had  been  enacted  by  the  parliament  of  the  united  kingdom
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.

147.  In  case  of  the  admission  of  Newfoundland  and  Prince  Edward  Island,
or  either  of  them,  each  shall  be  entitled  to  a  representation  in  the  senate  of  Canada
of  four  members,  and  (notwithstanding  anything  in  this  act),  in  case  of  the  admission
of  Newfoundland,  the  normal  number  of  senators  shall  be  seventy-six  and  their
maximum  number  shall  be  eighty-two;  but  Prince  Edward  Island,  when  admitted,
shall  be  deemed  to  be  comprised  in  the  third  of  the  three  divisions  into  which
Canada  is,  in  relation  to  the  constitution  of  the  senate,  divided  by  this  act,  and
accordingly,  after  the  admission  of  Prince  Edward  Island,  whether  Newfoundland
is  admitted  or  not,  the  representation  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  in  the
senate  shall,  as  vacancies  occur,  be  reduced  from  twelve  to  ten  members  respectively,
and  the  representation  of  each  of  those  provinces  shall  not  be  increased  at  any  time
beyond  ten,  except  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  for  the  appointment  of  three
or  six  additional  senators  under  the  direction  of  the  queen.

The  British  North  America  Act,  1871.

(June  29,  1871.)
An  Act  respecting  the  establishment  of  Provinces  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.

Whereas  doubts  habe  been  entertained  respecting  the  powers  of  the  parliament
of  Canada  to  establish  provinces  in  territories  admitted,  or  which  may  hereafter
be  admitted  into  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  provide  for  the  representation  of
such  provinces  in  the  said  parliament,  and  it  is  expedient  to  remove  such  doubts,
and  to  vest  such  powers  in  the  said  parliament:

Be  it  enacted  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.  This  act  may  be  cited  for  all.  purposes  as  “The  British  North  America
Act,  1871”.

2.  The  parliament  of  Canada  may  from  time  to  time  establish  new  provinces
in  any  territories  forming  for  the  time  being  part  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  but