Fixed election dates have by nature fundamentally changed how we run elections in Canada. Previously, you didn't know when an election was going to happen, so you therefore needed to be nimble and agile and able to spend, if that was your choosing. With a fixed election date, we saw in 2015 that really campaigning started about six months ahead of time. That's completely different from the tradition and culture of elections that we've had in Canada.
This legislation in particular establishes the pre-writ or the pre-election period beginning on June 30, after our Parliament rises, to constrain both political parties and third parties ahead of the general election, still maintaining the focus on the general election while also trying to maintain a fair and level playing field.