MacLauchlan hearing from Islanders about election call
Liberal leadership candidate says fixed election dates subject to overriding concerns of democracy
Whoever wins the P.E.I. Liberal leadership will certainly be able to call an election before the fixed election date, if they choose, says candidate Wade MacLauchlan.
So far MacLauchlan is the only declared candidate.
He said as he travels across the province campaigning for the leadership, he's hearing from people about when an election should be called.
"A number of people have observed to me that as of the end of February, we are going to have a new premier, a new leader of the opposition, and it's a significant possibility that we could have four party leaders, none of whom has a seat in the legislature," said MacLauchlan.
"So I think in that light people are indeed wondering about when we should have an election."
He said nothing in the election date legislation changes the power of the premier to ask the lieutenant-governor to dissolve the legislature.
MacLauchlan said fixed election dates are always subject to the overriding concerns of democracy and people are telling him that they wouldn't be surprised if there is an election in 2015.
Beyond that, he said, he is still only a candidate for the Liberal leadership and that's as far as he can go.
The Liberal leadership convention will be held on Feb. 21.