Election in Ontario

The people of this province will be going to the polls on 2 October, as Premier Ernie Eves seeks his first mandate but his Progressive Conservative Party seeks its third mandate in a row. The contest is primarily against the Liberal Party led by Dalton McGuinty. Howard Hampton's New Democrats do not look set to repeat Bob Rae's unexpected upset victory in 1990.

I believe it's time for Canada and its provinces finally to adopt fixed election dates. It is rather ludicrous that a sitting government has the power to time an election according to its own perceived standings in the public opinion polls. In another context this would rightly be labelled conflict of interest.