Originally posted on the School of Public Policy blog, July 6, 2015.

The Alberta and PEI elections of 2015 were the first early elections called by Canadian majority governments in contravention of fixed-date legislation. Since British Columbia enacted such legislation in 2001, all Canadian jurisdictions except Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon have followed suit. None of the Canadian laws are legally binding, and they were never expected to prevent early elections when minority governments lost the confidence of their elected legislative assemblies. The framers of fixed-date laws did, however, hope they would foster a convention against snap elections called by governments that continued to enjoy confidence. This hope was dashed in minority-government circumstances when the undefeated Harper government called the 2008 election, twelve months before the 2009 date set by its own fixed-date law. Has the hope now also been dashed for majority governments by the recent Alberta and PEI elections? Continue reading →