The fixed election dates Premier Alison Redford promised to deliver will be a little more flexible than expected.
Government House leader Dave Hancock announced a fixed election dates bill Thursday, as part of a broader unveiling of six bills the Tories plan to introduce in the legislature next week. The fixed election date legislation will prescribe that an election take place between March 1 and May 31 every four years.
"The fixed election period serves the purpose of letting the public know exactly when an election is going to be happening, in other words between March, April and May of that year," said Hancock.
He said the three-month window achieves the benefits of fixed dates, but allows the government some leeway in the event of natural disasters or other issues that could interfere with an election.
"If you are in a particularly bad winter you might want to have a later election date."
In a teleconference call from Ottawa, Redford echoed those comments and said especially given the agricultural nature of the province there are many natural factors that could interfere with an election.
"I think there needed to be some flexibility that any future premier needed to have."
Hancock said he doesn't believe election timing is ever going to be the critical factor in an election.
"I don't see the election timing as being the critical issue in most circumstances."
Local MLA Ken Allred introduced a private member's bill on fixed election dates in 2008. His bill would have created a fixed date in the fall and also would have extended municipal government terms to four years, allowing for a provincial election or a municipal election alternating every two years.
Allred said fixed election periods are a step in the right direction and he will support the bill, but his preference would be for a fixed date in the fall.
"It sends the right message; it is certainly fairer to the opposition to know that they are going to have an election between that three-month window," he stood. "I still think my original bill had a lot of merit as it stood."
Allred said he understands the need for flexibility in the spring with holidays and other issues that would need to be accommodated.
Opposition unimpressed
Opposition parties were critical of the bill.
"Albertans cannot trust Alison Redford to keep her promises," said NDP leader Brian Mason. "A fixed election date was promised and what we have been given is a fixed election season."
Mason said in addition the opposition should have been consulted on the proposed bill, because elections are not just about the governing party.
Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman also called the bill a broken promise, saying fixed election dates prevent the government from avoiding difficult reports and handing out cheques right up to the vote.
"The point of a fixed election date is so the government can't manipulate things to their best advantage. That is why it is one date."
Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson said the change is undemocratic, but he is also offended that it differs from what Redford promised during the Progressive Conservative leadership campaign.
"The bigger issue is one of trust. Premier Redford promised fixed election dates. She did not talk about flexible election dates," he said "She lied, she was untruthful and that for me is the bigger issue."
