SEASONAL SESSION +
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLIES

The House of Assembly (HoA) serves as the lawmaking body of the Haida Nation.

The decisions of voting by Haida citizens at the HoA determine the direction and work of the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN). CHN develops and enacts policies according to legislation adopted at the HoA. Any Haida citizen 16 years or older may propose to the HoA that CHN develop policy or legislation. Citizens vote to determine whether a policy or legislation is adopted. 

The House of Assembly is typically held during the third week of October of each year.  

The Special House of Assembly (SHoA) is operationally the same as the annual HoA but differs in its initiation: the SHoA is called to action by a petition submitted to CHN. To be actionable, the petition requires the signatures of one hundred voting Haida citizens. SHoA agendas solely deal with items brought forward in the petition and must be signed off by the Vice President of the Haida Nation. 

The President of the Haida Nation must call and implement a SHoA within thirty days of receiving the petition. The Hereditary Chiefs Council (HCC) determines whether there are grounds for holding a Special House of Assembly. 

CHN’s seasonal reporting-out sessions or sittings report on CHN's activities. The seasonal sessions occur thrice yearly, with one sitting coinciding with the House of Assembly. The Vice President advertises the reporting session a minimum of seven days before the sitting occurs. CHN records and produces a public record detailing the specifics of the event. 

Reporting out sessions are led by elected leaders, whereas Citizens lead the proceedings during the annual House of Assembly.