Stephen Harper's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to set fixed federal election dates and limit new senators to eight-year terms.

If the bill is passed, general elections would be held on the third Monday of October every four years.

House leader Rob Nicholson introduced the legislation to set fixed federal election dates, saying: "It eliminates the unfair advantage that a PM has to call an election."
(CBC)

"It eliminates the unfair advantage that a [Prime Minister] has to call an election, so I think it'll be welcome to Canadians," said House leader Rob Nicholson, who introduced the bill.

Currently it's up to the prime minister to decide when Canadians will go to the polls. This can be done at any time over the five years following the election that brought the government to power.

Critics have long said this gives a governing party too much power, allowing it to call an election when it is riding high in the polls or when the other parties aren't prepared.

Under the proposed system, the next federal election would be held on Oct. 19, 2009 — if Harper's minority Conservative government survives that long.

Canadians could be heading to the polls long before that if the government falls as a result of losing a confidence vote.

If a minority government falls part way through a four-year cycle and is replaced by a majority government, the next election would fall on the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year after the previous election.   

Three provinces already have fixed dates for provincial elections: Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said the proposed bill is full of holes, including a section that would still allow the prime minister to ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament at any time.

"The bill could get royal assent, and that very afternoon, the prime minister could ask for the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of an election," Goodale said.

Limited Senate term proposed

Also Tuesday, the Conservatives introduced a constitutional amendment to limit new senators to eight-year terms.

As it stands, senators can serve until they are 75 years old, regardless of what age they were when appointed.

Under Harper's proposal, current senators will still get to serve until they are 75.

Parliament can approve the amendment, which doesn't require provincial approval, said the government.

There are seven vacant Senate seats: two from Ontario and one each from Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

But Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said forcing new senators to sit for just an eight-year term won't make any difference.

"I think it's not a democratic institution. It's not because they will be there eight years, it will be more democratic — it's not democratic period," he said.

Premier Ralph Klein of Alberta, one of only two provinces to adopt legislation for electing senators, said it's unfortunate Harper isn't proposing elected senators right away.

"We have senators in waiting. They will probably be in waiting for the rest of their lives."