Stephen Harper's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to set fixed federal election dates.
House leader Rob Nicholson, who introduced the bill, says: 'It eliminates the unfair advantage that a PM has to call an election, so I think it'll be welcome to Canadians.' (CBC)
INDEPTH: REALITY CHECK: Fixing a date with the ballot box
If the bill is passed, general elections would be held on the third Monday of October, every four years.
"It eliminates the unfair advantage that a PM has to call an election, so I think it'll be welcome to Canadians," said House leader Rob Nicholson, who introduced the bill.
FROM MAY 26, 2006: Harper promises law to set election date every 4 years
Currently it's up to the prime minister to decide when Canadians will go to the polls. This can be done at any time over the five years following the election that brought the government to power.
Critics have long said this gives a governing party too much power, allowing it to call an election when it is riding high in the polls or when the other parties aren't prepared.
Under the proposed system, the next federal election would be held on Oct. 19, 2009 — if Harper's minority Conservative government survives that long.
Canadians could be heading to the polls long before that if the government falls as a result of losing a confidence vote.
If a minority government falls partway through a four-year cycle and is replaced by a majority government, the next election would fall on the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year after the previous election.
Three provinces already have fixed election dates: Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador.