1st Parliament of Ontario

The 1st Parliament of Ontario was in session from September 3, 1867, until February 25, 1871, just prior to the 1871 general election. This was the first session of the Legislature after Confederation succeeding the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada (last session was the 8th Parliament of the Province of Canada). The 1867 general election produced a tie between the Conservative Party led by John Sandfield Macdonald and the Liberal Party led by Archibald McKellar. Macdonald led a coalition government with the support of moderate Liberals.

John Stevenson served as speaker for the assembly.

First Ontario Ministry: Sandfield Macdonald Cabinet, 1867-1871


The first Cabinet for Ontario consisted of Premier John Sandfield Macdonald four other Cabinet ministers. It was known as the "Patent Combination."

It was a coalition government; John Carling and Matthew Crooks Cameron represented the Conservative Party; Edmund Burke Wood represented the coalition Grits; Sandfield Macdonald and Stephen Richards represented old school "Baldwinite" Reformers.