Constitution Act, 1985 (Representation)

[ Extracts of the Act ]

33-34-35 Elizabeth 11, c. 8 (Canada)

[Assented to 4th March 1986.]

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

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PART I

CONSTITUTION ACT, 1867

2. Subsection 51(1) of the Constitution Act, 1867, as enacted by the Constitution Act, 1974, is repealed and the following substituted therefor:

"51. (1) The number of members of the House of Commons and the representation of the provinces therein shall, on the coming into the force of this subsection and thereafter on the completion of each decennial census, 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. There shall assigned to each of the provinces a number of members equal to the number obtained by dividing the total population of the population of the provinces by two hundred and seventy-nine and by dividing the population of each province by the quotient so obtained, counting any remainder in excess of 0.50 as one after the said process of division.

2. If the total number of members that would be assigned to a province by the application of rule 1 is less than the total number assigned to that province on the date of coming into force of this subsection, there shall be added to the number of members so assigned such number of members as will result in the province having the same number of members as were assigned on that date.

(2) The Yukon Territory as bounded and described in the schedule to chapter Y-2 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, shall be entitled to one member, and the Northwest Territories as bounded and described in section 2 of chapter N-22 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1970, shall be entitled to two members."

3. This Part may be cited as the Constitution Act, 1985 (Representation), and a reference to the Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982, shall be deemed to include a reference to the Constitution Act, 1985 (Representation).

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PART III

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COMING INTO FORCE

13. This Act shall come into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation.