Is Stephen Harper breaking his own election law?

Calling a federal election in this country is generally straightforward, if a bit more complicated this time around by minority government and the politics of fixed election dates.

A former British colony, Canada follows the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy.

That gives a sitting prime minister, who already has the confidence of the House of Commons, the de-facto right to call an election when he or she chooses to.

Granted, Canadian election law and the British North America Act of 1867 state that Parliament is dissolved by the Governor General but that is only supposed to happen when the prime minister so advises.

Convention dictates that such advice is binding, not simply a polite suggestion.

A prime minister goes to Rideau Hall, has a discreet chat with the Queen's representative, then emerges to tell the country that it's off to the polls in up to six weeks time.

In typically British fashion, the process is largely left to precedent and convention, not spelled out explicitly in law.

"Fixed election dates stop leaders from trying to manipulate the calendar simply for partisan political advantage," the prime minister said, but he added a proviso.

"Unless we're defeated or prevented from governing," he said, "we want to keep moving forward to make this minority Parliament work over the next three years."