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What byelections? What costs?

Sunday, September 7, 2008 | 03:00 PM ET

One almost overlooked aspect of Sunday's election call is the cancellation of three byelections, in which voters were expected to go to the polls tomorrow.

One of those affected is Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote, who is running in Guelph, Ont. Predictably, Valeriote echoes the assertion of his leader Stéphane Dion that Stephen Harper is calling the general election because he doesn't want to be seen having lost three (admittedly opposition-held) byelections.

But Valeriote also estimates that cancelling these byelections at the last minute like this will cost taxpayers $3.5 million in unnecessary election expenses.

That said, Valeriote insists that after months of campaigning, his volunteers have more than enough energy to keep going for another five weeks.
— Alison Crawford

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