Sections of the Act
The act consists of the following sections (paraphrased):
- Provides the shortened name of the act.
- Describes the physical boundaries of the province.
- British North America Act (1867) applies to Saskatchewan.
- Four members appointed to the Senate of Canada.
- Current representation in the House of Commons will remain in effect until the next election.
- Sets the number of parliament members based on population.
- Election guidelines of the Northwest Territories applies to the province until amended by Parliament.
- Lieutenant governor determines members of the Executive Council.
- Seat of government is Regina.
- Powers of the lieutenant governor of the Northwest Territories shall be same as those of the lieutenant governor in Saskatchewan.
- Lieutenant governor shall provide a Great Seal for the new province.
- The single house of the provincial legislature to be named the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
- Initially 25 members of the provincial legislature until changed by said legislature. A schedule followed the main body of the act that defined the initial electoral divisions for the province.
- Current laws of the Northwest Territories shall apply to Saskatchewan.
- The first general election must be called within six months¹.
- Laws and courts: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories may be abolished in Saskatchewan if replaced by a similar court.
- Section 93 override of the British North America Act, 1867: rights of Roman Catholics to separate schools continued.
- Subsidies from the federal government based on a fixed amount and population size.
- Annual payments of $405 375 to Saskatchewan from the federal government.
- Compensation for use of public lands by the federal government.
- Existing federal lands, mines and minerals will remain the property of the federal government.
- Properties and assets of the Northwest Territories to be divided equally between Saskatchewan and Alberta².
- Preserves the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company with respect to land surrendered to the Crown.
- Provisions for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
- Act comes into effect on September 1, 1905.
¹ First general election was held on December 13, 1905.
² The Alberta Act was passed at the same time.
Original Electoral Divisions
The original 25 electoral divisions were defined in a schedule following the main body of the act. These 25 divisions were:
- Souris
- Cannington
- Moosomin
- Whitewood
- Grenfell
- Wolseley
- Saltcoats
- Yorkton
- South Qu'Appelle
- North Qu'Appelle
- South Regina
- Regina City
- Lumsden
- Moosejaw
- Moosejaw City
- Maple Creek
- Humboldt
- Kinistino
- Prince Albert
- Prince Albert City
- Batoche
- Saskatoon
- Rosthern
- Redberry
- Battleford
External links