Date Published:
July 2007

L’Encyclopédie de l’histoire du Québec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia

Dual Representation

Dual Representation. This term described the practice existing for several years after Confederation in Ontario and Quebec by means of which members of the legislatures of these provinces could, if they thought fit to do so, legally represent also constituencies in the House of Commons. Under this arrangement J. Sandfield Macdonald, Edward Blake, and Alexander Mackenzie sat both in Toronto and in Ottawa. Sir George Cartier and Sir Hector Langevin similarly sat in Quebec and Ottawa. In 1872 Ontario passed an Act making members of the House of Commons ineligible to sit in the Legislature. An Act to the same effect was passed at Quebec in 1874.

Source: W. Stewart WALLACE, The Encyclopedia of Canada, Vol. II, Toronto, University Associates of Canada, 1948, 411p., p. 239.