House of Commons Procedure and Practice
Edited by Robert Marleau and Camille Montpetit
2000 Edition — More information …

25. Appendices

Parliaments Since 1867 and Number of Sitting Days

The length of a Parliament is calculated from the date set for the return of the writs following a general election to its dissolution by the Governor General by speech or proclamation.   The Constitution Act, 1867, s. 50, and the Constitution Act, 1982, ss. 4(1) and 5, provide for a maximum five-year lifespan for the House of Commons from the date fixed for the return of the writs.  A Parliament is divided into sessions.  A session begins with a Speech from the Throne when Parliament is summoned by proclamation of the Governor General; it ends with a prorogation or dissolution of Parliament.  A session is divided  into sittings and adjournments.  A sitting is a meeting of the House within a session.  The Standing Orders provide times and days for the sittings of the House.A sitting is not necessarily synonymous with a “day”.  Some days may contain more than one sitting; some sittings may extend over more than one day.

Parliament Session Date of General Election [1] Date for Return of Writs Date of Opening Last Day on Which the House Sat Date of Prorogation Date of Dissolution Number of Sitting Days Number of Sittings
1st Parliament 07-08-1867
to
20-09-1867 		24-09-1867 [2]
1st Session   06-11-1867 22-05-1868 22-05-1868   83 99
2nd Session   15-04-1869 22-06-1869 22-06-1869   49 55
3rd Session   15-02-1870 12-05-1870 12-05-1870   62 62
4th Session   15-02-1871 14-04-1871 14-04-1871   43 43
5th Session   11-04-1872 14-06-1872 14-06-1872 08-07-1872 46 46
2nd Parliament 20-07-1872
to
12-10-1872 		03-09-1872 [3]
1st Session   05-03-1873 13-08-1973 13-08-1973   59 59
2nd Session   23-10-1873 07-11-1873 07-11-1873 02-01-1874 11 11
3rd Parliament 22-01-1874 21-02-1874 [4]
1st Session   26-03-1874 26-05-1874 26-05-1874   42 42
2nd Session   04-02-1875 08-04-1875 08-04-1875   48 48
3rd Session   10-02-1876 12-04-1876 12-04-1876   46 46
4th Session   08-02-1877 28-04-1877 28-04-1877   59 59
5th Session   07-02-1878 10-05-1878 10-05-1878 16-08-1878 68 68
4th Parliament 17-09-1878 21-11-1878
1st Session   13-02-1879 15-05-1879 15-05-1879   64 64
2nd Session   12-02-1880 07-05-1880 07-05-1880   57 57
3rd Session   09-12-1880 21-03-1881 21-03-1881   65 65
4th Session   09-02-1882 17-05-1882 17-05-1882 18-05-1882 68 68
5th Parliament 20-06-1882 07-08-1882
1st Session   08-02-1883 25-05-1883 25-05-1883   73 73
2nd Session   17-01-1884 19-04-1884 19-04-1884   67 67
3rd Session   29-01-1885 20-07-1885 20-07-1885   122 119
4th Session   25-02-1886 02-06-1886 02-06-1886 15-01-1887 65 65
6th Parliament 22-02-1887 07-04-1887
1st Session   13-04-1887 23-06-1887 23-06-1887   49 49
2nd Session   23-02-1888 22-05-1888 22-05-1888   61 61
3rd Session   31-01-1889 02-05-1889 02-05-1889   65 65
4th Session   16-01-1890 16-05-1890 16-05-1890 03-02-1891 81 81
7th Parliament 05-03-1891 25-04-1891
1st Session   29-04-1891 30-09-1891 30-09-1891   102 102
2nd Session   25-02-1892 09-07-1892 09-07-1892   87 87
3rd Session   26-01-1893 01-04-1893 01-04-1893   47 47
4th Session   15-03-1894 23-07-1894 23-07-1894   87 89
5th Session   18-04-1895 22-07-1895 22-07-1895   65 68
6th Session   02-01-1896 23-04-1896 23-04-1896 24-04-1896 78 71
8th Parliament 23-06-1896 13-07-1896
1st Session   19-08-1896 05-10-1896 05-10-1896   34 34
2nd Session   25-03-1897 29-06-1897 29-06-1897   65 78
3rd Session   03-02-1898 13-06-1898 13-06-1898   86 98
4th Session   16-03-1899 11-08-1899 11-08-1899   104 102
5th Session   01-02-1900 18-07-1900 18-07-1900 09-10-1900 115 115
9th Parliament 07-11-1900 05-12-1900
1st Session   06-02-1901 23-05-1901 23-05-1901   73 73
2nd Session   13-02-1902 15-05-1902 15-05-1902   63 63
3rd Session   12-03-1903 24-10-1903 24-10-1903   156 155
4th Session   10-03-1904 10-08-1904 10-08-1904 29-09-1904 103 103
10th Parliament 03-11-1904 15-12-1904
1st Session   11-01-1905 20-07-1905 20-07-1905   129 129
2nd Session   08-03-1906 13-07-1906 13-07-1906   88 88
3rd Session   22-11-1906 27-04-1907 27-04-1907   95 95
4th Session   28-11-1907 20-07-1908 20-07-1908 17-09-1908 151 150
11th Parliament 26-10-1908 03-12-1908
1st Session   20-01-1909 19-05-1909 19-05-1909   84 84
2nd Session   11-11-1909 04-05-1910 04-05-1910   103 102
3rd Session   17-11-1910 28-07-1911   29-07-1911 117 117
12th Parliament 21-09-1911 07-10-1911
1st Session   15-11-1911 01-04-1912 01-04-1912   75 75
2nd Session   21-11-1912 06-06-1913 06-06-1913   121 111
3rd Session   15-01-1914 12-06-1914 12-06-1914   103 103
4th Session   18-08-1914 22-08-1914 22-08-1914   5 5
5th Session   04-02-1915 15-04-1915 15-04-1915   51 51
6th Session   12-01-1916 18-05-1916 18-05-1916   89 88
7th Session   18-01-1917 20-09-1917 20-09-1917 06-10-1917 135 135
13th Parliament 17-12-1917 27-02-1918
1st Session   18-03-1918 23-05-1918 23-05-1918   47 47
2nd Session   20-02-1919 07-07-1919 07-07-1919   93 93
3rd Session   01-09-1919 10-11-1919 10-11-1919   50 50
4th Session   26-02-1920 01-07-1920 01-07-1920   86 86
5th Session   14-02-1921 04-06-1921 04-06-1921 04-10-1921 80 79
14th Parliament 06-12-1921 14-01-1922
1st Session   08-03-1922 27-06-1922 27-06-1922   75 75
2nd Session   31-01-1923 30-06-1923 30-06-1923   98 98
3rd Session   28-02-1924 19-07-1924 19-07-1924   95 95
4th Session   05-02-1925 27-06-1925 27-06-1925 05-09-1925 98 98
15th Parliament 29-10-1925 07-12-1925
1st Session   07-01-1926 01-07-1926   02-07-1926 111 111
16th Parliament 14-09-1926 02-11-1926
1st Session   09-12-1926 14-04-1927 14-04-1927   54 54
2nd Session   26-01-1928 11-06-1928 11-06-1928   93 93
3rd Session   07-02-1929 14-06-1929 14-06-1929   83 83
4th Session   20-02-1930 30-05-1930   30-05-1930 62 62
17th Parliament 28-07-1930 18-08-1930
1st Session   08-09-1930 22-09-1930 22-09-1930   12 13
2nd Session   12-03-1931 03-08-1931 03-08-1931   96 96
3rd Session   04-02-1932 26-05-1932 26-05-1932   78 78
4th Session   06-10-1932 27-05-1933 27-05-1933   119 119
5th Session   25-01-1934 03-07-1934 03-07-1934   105 105
6th Session   17-01-1935 05-07-1935 05-07-1935 14-08-1935 97 97
18th Parliament 14-10-1935 09-11-1935
1st Session   06-02-1936 23-06-1936 23-06-1936   91 92
2nd Session   14-01-1937 10-04-1937 10-04-1937   62 62
3rd Session   27-01-1938 01-07-1938 01-07-1938   102 102
4th Session   12-01-1939 03-06-1939 03-06-1939   103 103
5th Session   07-09-1939 13-09-1939 13-09-1939   6 6
6th Session   25-01-1940 25-04-1940   25-04-1940 1 1
19th Parliament 26-03-1940 17-04-1940
1st Session   16-05-1940 05-11-1940 05-11-1940   61 61
2nd Session   07-11-1940 21-01-1942 21-01-1942   105 105
3rd Session   22-01-1942 27-01-1943 27-01-1943   124 124
4th Session   28-01-1943 26-01-1944 26-01-1944   120 120
5th Session   27-01-1944 31-01-1945 31-01-1945   136 136
6th Session   19-03-1945 16-04-1945   16-04-1945 19 19
20th Parliament 11-06-1945 09-08-1945
1st Session   06-09-1945 18-12-1945 18-12-1945   76 76
2nd Session   14-03-1946 31-08-1946 31-08-1946   118 118
3rd Session   30-01-1947 17-07-1947 17-07-1947   115 115
4th Session   05-12-1947 30-06-1948 30-06-1948   119 119
5th Session   26-01-1949 30-04-1949   30-04-1949 59 59
21st Parliament 27-06-1949 25-08-1949
1st Session   15-09-1949 10-12-1949 10-12-1949   64 64
2nd Session   16-02-1950 30-06-1950 30-06-1950   90 90
3rd Session   29-08-1950 29-01-1951 29-01-1951   17 17
4th Session   30-01-1951 09-10-1951 09-10-1951   105 105
5th Session   09-10-1951 29-12-1951 29-12-1951   56 56
6th Session   28-02-1952 20-11-1952 20-11-1952   87 87
7th Session   20-11-1952 14-05-1953 14-05-1953 13-06-1953 108 108
22nd Parliament 10-08-1953 08-10-1953
1st Session   12-11-1953 26-06-1954 26-06-1954   139 139
2nd Session   07-01-1955 28-07-1955 28-07-1955   140 141
3rd Session   10-01-1956 14-08-1956 14-08-1956   152 152
4th Session   26-11-1956 08-01-1957 08-01-1957   5 5
5th Session   08-01-1957 12-04-1957   12-04-1957 71 71
23rd Parliament 10-06-1957 08-08-1957
1st Session   14-10-1957 01-02-1958   01-02-1958 78 78
24th Parliament 31-03-1958 30-04-1958
1st Session   12-05-1958 06-09-1958 06-09-1958   93 93
2nd Session   15-01-1959 18-07-1959 18-07-1959   127 127
3rd Session   14-01-1960 10-08-1960 10-08-1960   146 146
4th Session   17-11-1960 28-09-1961 28-09-1961   174 174
5th Session   18-01-1962 18-04-1962   19-04-1962 65 65
25th Parliament 18-06-1962 18-07-1962
1st Session   27-09-1962 05-02-1963   06-02-1963 72 72
26th Parliament 08-04-1963 08-05-1963
1st Session   16-05-1963 21-12-1963 21-12-1963   117 117
2nd Session   18-02-1964 02-04-1965 03-04-1965   248 248
3rd Session   05-04-1965 30-06-1965   08-09-1965 53 53
27th Parliament 08-11-1965 09-12-1965
1st Session   18-01-1966 08-05-1967 08-05-1967   250 250
2nd Session   08-05-1967 23-04-1968   23-04-1968 155 155
28th Parliament 25-06-1968 25-07-1968
1st Session   12-09-1968 22-10-1969 22-10-1969   198 198
2nd Session   23-10-1969 07-10-1970 07-10-1970   155 155
3rd Session   08-10-1970 16-02-1972 16-02-1972   244 244
4th Session   17-02-1972 01-09-1972   01-09-1972 91 91
29th Parliament 30-10-1972 20-11-1972
1st Session   04-01-1973 26-02-1974 26-02-1974   206 207
2nd Session   27-02-1974 08-05-1974   09-05-1974 50 50
30th Parliament 08-07-1974 31-07-1974
1st Session   30-09-1974 12-10-1976 12-10-1976   343 343
2nd Session   12-10-1976 17-10-1977 17-10-1977   175 175
3rd Session   18-10-1977 10-10-1978 10-10-1978   151 151
4th Session   11-10-1978 26-03-1979   26-03-1979 98 98
31st Parliament 22-05-1979 11-06-1979
1st Session   09-10-1979 14-12-1979   14-12-1979 49 49
32nd Parliament 18-02-1980 10-03-1980
1st Session   14-04-1980 30-11-1983 30-11-1983   609 591
2nd Session   07-12-1983 29-06-1984   09-07-1984 116 116
33rd Parliament 04-09-1984 24-09-1984
1st Session   05-11-1984 24-07-1986 28-08-1986   308 308
2nd Session   30-09-1986 30-09-1988   01-10-1988 390 389
34th Parliament 21-11-1988 12-12-1988
1st Session   12-12-1988 30-12-1988 28-02-1989   11 11
2nd Session   03-04-1989 08-05-1991 12-05-1991   307 305
3rd Session   13-05-1991 23-06-1993   08-09-1993 268 268
35th Parliament 25-10-1993 15-11-1993
1st Session   17-01-1994 02-02-1996 02-02-1996   280 280
2nd Session   27-02-1996 25-04-1997   27-04-1997 164 164
36th Parliament 02-06-1997 23-06-1997
1st Session   22-09-1997 11-06-1999 18-09-1999   239 239
2nd Session   12-10-1999 20-10-2000   22-10-2000 135 133
37th Parliament 27-11-2000 18-12-2000
1st Session   29-01-2001 21-06-2002 16-09-2002   211 211
2nd Session   30-09-2002 07-11-2003 12-11-2003   153 153
3rd Session   02-02-2004 14-05-2004   23-05-2004 55 55
38th Parliament 28-06-2004 19-07-2004
1st Session   04-10-2004 28-11-2005   29-11-2005 159 159
[1]
In the years following Confederation, the electoral system allowed the voting to be held over more than a single day.  See A History of the Vote in Canada, Minister of Public Works and Government Services (1997), pp. 42-43.
[2]
All writs were returnable on September 24, 1867, except those for the electoral districts of Gaspé and of Chicoutimi and Saguenay which were returnable on October 24, 1867 (Journals, Vol. I, 1867-68, p. vii-viii).
[3]
All writs were returnable on September 3, 1872, except those for the electoral districts of Gaspé and of Chicoutimi and Saguenay which were returnable on October 12, 1872, and also those for the Province of Manitoba and the Province of British Columbia which were returnable on October 12, 1872 (Journals, Vol. VI, pp. vi-vii).
[4]
All writs were returnable on February 21, 1874, except those for the electoral districts of Gaspé and of Chicoutimi and Saguenay which were returnable on March 12, 1874, and also those for the Province of Manitoba and the Province of British Columbia which were returnable on March 12, 1874 (Journals, Vol. VIII, p. vi).

Please note —

As the rules and practices of the House of Commons are subject to change, users should remember that this edition of Procedure and Practice was published in January 2000. Standing Order changes adopted since then, as well as other changes in practice, are not reflected in the text. The Appendices to the book, however, have been updated and now include information up to the end of the 38th Parliament in November 2005.

To confirm current rules and practice, please consult the latest version of the Standing Orders on the Parliament of Canada Web site.

For further information about the procedures of the House of Commons, please contact the Table Research Branch at (613) 996-3611 or by e-mail at trbdrb@parl.gc.ca.