Election Act may allow PC's to avoid the Polls - if Kathy departs this October.

The Sir Robert Bond Papers says:

"Rumours have started to circulate that Kathy Dunderdale will toss her teddy bear in the corner in October.  Maybe.  Unless the Tories change the House of Assembly Act to reverse the changes they made a decade ago,  they’ll be forced to go to the polls within 12 months of her departure. That might have made sense once, but with the mess they currently have , there’s no guarantee the Tories would be able to run a successful election that quickly."

Actually Ed Hollett may be wrong - the Act is weak and says the following:

Election on change of Premier

      3.1 Where the leader of the political party that forms the government resigns his or her position as leader and as Premier of the province before the end of the third year following the most recent general election, the person who is elected by the party to replace him or her as the leader of the party and who is sworn in as the Premier of the province by the Lieutenant-Governor shall, not later than 12 months afterward, provide advice to the Lieutenant-Governor that the House of Assembly be dissolved and a general election be held.

You will note that the party has to have an election to get a new leader first; that can take them up to a year before the election. In that time an interim leader can be appointed (not elected) and caucus can make many changes to try and turn the tide. 

For sure the interpretations on this will vary - however - there is certainly significant wiggle room. Section 3.1 has two conditions that must be achieved; election of a new leader and then 12 months to call a general election. 

I'm sure the PC's have looked at this and we will know their interpretation soon. I'd say Kathy is gone and perhaps Terry French will provide interim leadership. My guess is Darin King is gathering his leadership gang together as I write this blog.