The Supreme Court of Canada won’t hear a challenge of the former Alberta government’s decision to call an election in 2015.
A general election was held in Alberta in 2012 and based on the province’s Election Act, the next one was to take place between March 1 and May 31, 2016.
Edmonton lawyer Tom Engel and Donald Rigney, who wanted to run as a candidate, went to court in March 2015 seeking a declaration that the Election Act prohibited an election call before the 2016 window.
Get breaking National news
A judge dismissed their application and Alberta’s Court of Appeal upheld the ruling.
- B.C. First Nations explore if nuclear power could meet province’s electricity needs
- Hoekstra says Trump serious about tariff threat over wildfire smoke
- Ontario PC MPPs who spent big on hotels face questions as minister resigns
- 2 Saskatchewan research farms to stay open as province enters MOU with Ottawa
The appeal court saw no error in the original decision and said Rigney was not denied a meaningful chance to participate in the election.
The court found that even if the Election Act created a statutory expectation about when elections would normally be held, that does not evolve into a constitutional right that they will not be held at any other time.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.