Dissolving Parliament

The Prime Minister asks the Governor General to end (or dissolve) Parliament and call an election. Dissolution (the act of dissolving) happens when:

• the Government’s fixed four-year term is complete, or
• the Government loses a vote on certain important bills – on the budget, for example – in the House of Commons. These are known as votes of confidence.

Even with the fixed four-year term, an election could still be held after the Government loses an important vote in the House of Commons.