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Only top-level descriptions British Columbia. Legislative Assembly
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Bills, orders and other material

  • GR-0674
  • Series
  • 1868-1872

This series consists of bills, draft bills, orders of the day, notes on debates, estimates, draft legislation, statutes, subject files and other records of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, 1868-1872.

The first versions or drafts of a bill or act are known as the Blues version, after the blue paper used for the printing. The final version, printed by the Queen’s Printer, is on white paper. All blues versions will be identified as draft. Final versions will be noted at “Statute”.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Index to proclamations and ordinances

  • GR-0547
  • Series
  • 1871

Index to proclamations and ordinances for the Colony of British Columbia, 1858 to 1871.

British Columbia. Colonial Secretary

Legislative Assembly records

  • GR-1533
  • Series
  • 1871-1893

This series contains drafts of bills, acts, ordinances and regulations.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly

Election records from Victoria

  • GR-1667
  • Series
  • 1871-1872

This series consists of poll-books, voters' lists, and correspondence relating to two landmark elections in British Columbia: the election of 1871 of representatives to the provincial legislature, and the election of 1872, called to elect provincial members to the Dominion House of Commons - respectively the first provincial election and the first federal election held in B.C. These records document B.C.'s last "open voting" elections (i.e. a secret ballot was not used). Compiled by A.F. Pemberton, Chief Returning Officer for Victoria, the records pertain to Victoria City, Victoria District, Esquimalt and Metchosin.

The election of 1871 was held in various parts of the province between October and December. It was conducted in accordance with the Colonial Election Regulation Act [34 Vic., No. 13, a statute which affirmed the practice of open voting (as opposed to the secret ballot). Thus, the poll books in this collection show the names of electors and the candidates for whom each elector voted. Voter's qualifications were determined by the colonial Qualification and Registration of Voters' Act [34 Vic., No. 156]. To qualify for the franchise, a voter had to be male, a loyal British subject, over twenty-one years of age, literate (at least able to write his name), and a resident in B.C. for no less than six months. In addition, qualified electors had to meet one of the following criteria: occupy premises with an annual rent of $40 or more; own freehold property having an assessed value of at least $250; have a pre-emption claim of 100 acres or more; possess a free-miners' license.

The Dominion election of 1872 was held under the authority of two federal statutes: the Interim Parliamentary Election Act of 1871 [34 Vic., c.20] and the Act to Re-adjust the Representation in the House of Commons, 1872 [35 Vic., c.13]. The first statute made provisions for holding a federal election in B.C.; the second confirmed the number of MPs to be elected from B.C. [6] and established federal electoral boundaries. 2 MPs were elected from the district of Victoria; 1 MP from the district of Vancouver (i.e. Vancouver Island north of Victoria and adjacent to the Gulf Islands); 1 MP for each of the districts of New Westminster, Yale, and Cariboo. Section 5 of the Interim Parliamentary Elections Act declared that the laws already in force in B.C. would apply to the election of 1872. Accordingly, polling for the province's first federal election was carried out under colonial legislation noted above. The Dominion election was also carried out in accordance with B.C.'s Corrupt Practices Prevention Act [34 Vic., No. 158], a colonial statute which stipulated that candidates had to declare all expenses incurred during their campaign. Hence the documents in Box 1, files 6 & 7 of this collection.

The records in GR-1667 relate solely to the Victoria electoral district. For elections to the provincial legislature, the riding included areas within the city's limits. Federally, however, the electoral district of Victoria embraced the City of Victoria and adjacent areas of Saanich (Victoria District), Esquimalt and Metchosin. A.F. Pemberton was the district's chief Returning Officer in both elections. In the provincial election -- held on 16 October 1871 -- Pemberton established the district polling station at the Police Barracks in Bastion Square. In the Dominion election -- held on 2 September 1872 -- he established six polling stations. The polls were open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Three candidates contested the two Victoria seats: Amor DeCosmos, Henry Nathan and Robert Beavan. DeCosmos, and Nathan were elected. The results of the election, and returns from each of the polling stations, were published in the Victoria Daily Colonist (3 Sep 1872).

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Legislative committee reports and correspondence

  • GR-1713
  • Series
  • 1872-1890

This series contains committee reports covering the period 1872 to 1890. The records include correspondence and a report on the site of "Central Boarding School" by John Jessop, Superintendent of Education (1873-1874). The series also includes a report of the Legislative Committee on the Esquimalt Graving Dock (1882).

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly

Speech from the Throne

  • GR-3346
  • Collection
  • 1872-1876; 1905; 1960-2023

The collection consists of an incomplete set of copies of the Speech from the Throne, created between 1872 and 2023. The collection was made by the BC Archives using copies of the speeches, including red-ribbon copies, drawn together from various government office sources.

The Speech from the Throne is given by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia who addresses the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia at its opening and/or closing sessions. The speech outlines the executive government's plans at the start of each session of the Legislative Assembly and reviews the accomplishments of the government at the end of each session.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor

Sessional clipping books

  • GR-1480
  • Series
  • 1891-1972

This series contains sessional clippings books of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The records consists of newspaper accounts of the debates, along with notices of motion, petitions, committee reports, etc. Volumes also contain editorials from major newspapers in New Westminster, Vancouver and Victoria.

British Columbia. Legislative Library

Jim Ryan fonds

  • PR-2163
  • Fonds
  • 1908-1995

The fonds consists of photographs and other records from 1908 to ca. 1995, created or collected by Jim Ryan in the course of his career as a photographer. There are approximately 105,738 photographs, mostly black and white and colour negatives, but also including prints, slides and glass slides. The fonds also includes textual records consisting of news stories, copies of Ryan's publications, a few letters and other such material. The majority of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area and include images of the harbour, the city, buildings, events and parks. There are many photographs of British Columbia politicians, notably W.A.C. Bennett, as well as distinguished visitors, federal and local politicians. There are also photographs of local characters, children and ordinary people. Although most of the photographs were taken in the Victoria area, there are occasional images taken in other areas of Vancouver Island as well as some of Ryan's travel photographs. Some of the earliest material relates to World War I and may be Ryan family photographs or items that Ryan collected out of interest.

The fonds also includes motion picture film material, including completed films, production elements, news stories shot for television, and selected reels of footage.

Ryan, Jim, 1920-1998

Forms and other material

  • GR-0646
  • Series
  • 1920-1947

This series consists of forms used and procedures followed in the execution of various statutes administered by the Provincial Secretary. Records also include minutes of meetings, correspondence, reports, and newsletters of the B.C. Provincial Government Employees Association, 1945-1947.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Provincial Secretary

Reports of Chief Forester

  • GR-1242
  • Series
  • 1936-1943

This series contains reports presented to the Forestry Committee of the Legislative Assembly by the Chief Forester. The 1936 Report was further amplified by a presentation by the Forester in charge of the Forest Surveys Division, and the 1940 Report was presented by the Assistant Chief Forester due to the absence of the Chief Forester on war-related business.

British Columbia. Forest Branch

Annual addresses of the Chief Forester

  • GR-1346
  • Series
  • 1939-1943

This series contains annual addresses of the Chief Forester to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly Select Standing Committee on Forestry.

British Columbia. Forest Branch

Oath of allegiance and oath of office

  • GR-0653
  • Series
  • 1968

One photocopy of oath of allegiance and oath of office.

British Columbia. Lieutenant Governor (1968-1973 : Nicholson)

Legislative Assembly records

  • GR-1534
  • Series
  • 1975-1976

This series contains applications for the student Legislative/Executive Internship programme. The series includes application forms and letters of reference directed to Selection Committee member Dr. Walter D. Young.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly

Commission on Electoral Reform, 1978

  • GR-0564
  • Series
  • 1978-1979

This series consists of records of the Royal Commission on Electoral reform, 1978-1979. Records include exhibits, transcripts of evidence, correspondence, subject files, abstract of evidence, subject index and master index to exhibits and witnesses, circulars, Opinion poll questionnaires, Interim Report, list of maps, and a preliminary report on "Redefinition of Electoral Districts and Boundaries" to his honour Judge L.S. Eckardt by Inspector J.M.P. Molyneux.

The finding aid consists of a brief file list and two appendices. Appendix 1 is a list of electoral districts, intended as an aid to access to the correspondence files (boxes 6 and 7). Appendix 2 consists of two lists: one for exhibits entitled "Index of letters and briefs: Chronological order of hearing dates, locations, exhibits entered and by whom, volume and page number", and the other for oral submissions and mini panels entitled "Index of persons participating in hearings, either by oral submission or mini panels: chronological order of hearing dates, names of witnesses presenting verbal submissions and/or participating in mini panels, volume and page number."

Note that exhibits presented at Hearing 41 (61A, 65A, 114B, 117B, and 170-180A) and Hearing 44 (186 and 187) were read into the record by the Commission Secretary.

British Columbia. Royal Commission on Electoral Reform [1978]

Parliamentary portraits

  • GR-4184
  • Series
  • 1991-2022

The series consists of large format photographic prints known as "Parliamentary portraits", taken between 1991 and 2022. The portraits are generally taken once per Parliament and show the members of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislative Chamber, at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, B.C. Dates and Parliamentary sessions are noted and some photographs are accompanied by legends, naming each person in the photograph. Each photograph is taken from the entrance to the chamber and typically shows the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker and other members of the Speaker's and Clerk's office in the centre by the Speaker's chair. The MLA's are at their desks, the government members traditionally sit on the Speaker's right and the opposition on the Speaker's left.
The photographs are as follows:
1 col. photograph from session 34-5, 1991
1 col. photograph from session 35-2, ca. 1995
1 col. photograph from session 36-3, July 22, 1998
1 col. photograph from session 36-4, ca. 2000
1 col. photograph + legend from session 37-2, May 8, 2002
1 col. photograph + legend from session 38-1, November 2, 2005
1 col. photograph + legend from session 39-1, 2009
1 col. photograph from session 39-4, 2012
1 b&w photograph + legend from session 40-3, November 19, 2014
1 col. photograph + legend from session 41-40, 2017
1 b&w photograph + legend from session 42-3, October 3, 2022.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly