Timeline for next election remains murky as Green MLA presses premier

The timelinefor the next provincial election was brought into question at theP.E.I.legislature Friday, and it's not any clearer when it's going to be.

GreenMLA Hannah Bell pressed Premier WadeMacLauchlanas to why there was a "haste" to appoint areferendum commissioner byJune 1 if the provincial election isn't being held until Oct. 2019.

The commissioner is being appointed to overseethe vote on electoral reformhappening alongside the next provincial election.

"So, once again premier, I'll make this a really simple and clear question: do you intend to call an election between now and the end of 2018, no, or yes?" said Bell.

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"I'm glad to note, Mr. Speaker, that I was given the choice of answers in alphabetical order," said MacLauchlanwith a laugh thatwas echoed by the Liberal caucus.

"Our Election's Act offers a number of options when it comes to when the next election may take place Most of us can see that in the fall of 2019 there's another election taking place and I hope all of us will have that in mind."

Fixed-date election exceptions

According to the fixed date in P.E.I.'s Election Act, the next provincial vote should take place on Oct.7, 2019, but with two caveats:

• If there's a federal election that month as there's scheduled to be P.E.I.'s legislation would push its election date into April 2020.
• The premier has the ability to ask the lieutenant-governor to prorogue the current legislative assembly and call an election at any time.

Speculation about an early election date arose following MacLauchlan's January cabinet shuffle.

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