Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax Regional Municipality is the provincial capital of Nova Scotia, home to 40% of the province's population and generating close to 50% of the province's GDP.
Mayor Peter Kelly and Municipal Councillors, representing the 23 districts, make up the council of the Halifax Regional Municipality. The council is the main governing and legislative body for the Municipality.
Halifax, Nova Scotia is home to the oldest seat of government in Canada. The Nova Scotia Legislature has met in Province House, located in downtown Halifax, every year since 1819. Currently there are 52 seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
The June 13, 2006 general election divided the seats as follows: Progressive Conservative - 23; New Democratic Party - 19; Liberal - 9. Premier Rodney MacDonald, Progressive Conservative, is serving his first term as Premier holding a minority position in the House of Assembly, with less than 50% of the seats.
The business of the Government of Nova Scotia is administered through 15 departments and numerous agencies, the majority of which have their head offices in Halifax.
Nova Scotia is represented by 11 Members of Parliament, currently split between the Liberal party - 5; Conservative party - 3; New Democratic party - 2; and Independent - 1.
As the centre for business in Atlantic Canada, Halifax is home to over 100 Government of Canada departmental offices or agencies. Halifax Harbour, the second largest natural ice-free harbour in the world is the east coast base for the Canadian Navy.