<P> Federally, the idea of recognizing parties for official status started in 1963 . Prior to this, the only opposition recognition was that of the Leader of the Opposition, effectively limiting "official status" to the Government and the largest Opposition party . It was not until 1970 that the Elections Act was amended to allow parties to register and thus have their party name on the ballot . </P> <P> Rules on official party status are not laws, but are internal rules governing the legislature . Therefore, the members of a legislature may, if they choose, pass a motion to dispense with the rules and grant official status to parties that would otherwise fail to qualify . There are many examples of this practice . </P> <Table> Minimum seats required for official party status <Tr> <Th> Assembly </Th> <Th> Minimum </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> House of Commons of Canada </Td> <Td> 12 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Senate of Canada </Td> <Td> 5 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alberta Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 4 seats, although status has been granted to parties with only 2 seats a number of times . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> British Columbia Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 4 seats, although the current BC Greens caucus of 3 MLAs has been granted Official Party status with reduced funding . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Manitoba Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 4 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Brunswick Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 5 seats or 20% of the popular vote </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly </Td> <Td> 2 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nova Scotia House of Assembly </Td> <Td> 2 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ontario Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 8 seats </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> There is no official rule, but precedent shows that only one seat is required . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Quebec National Assembly </Td> <Td> 12 seats or 20% of the popular vote </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly </Td> <Td> 2 seats </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Assembly </Th> <Th> Minimum </Th> </Tr>

How many seats to keep official party status in ontario