page_title: Timeline of the 2011 Canadian federal election
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of the 2011 Canadian federal election
caption_attribution_description: Colour version of &lt;a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattjiggins/5574109266/in/set-72157626257209813/"&gt;www.flickr.com/photos/mattjiggins/5574109266/in/set-72157...&lt;/a&gt;
context_page_description: October 14, 2008: Elections held for members of the House of Commons in the 40th Canadian Parliament.
  November 4, 2008: Writs returned to the Chief Election Officer.
  November 18, 2008: 40th Parliament first convenes.
  December 1, 2008: The Liberals and NDP sign agreement on proposed coalition government to replace the governing Conservatives under Prime Minister Harper.
  December 1, 2008: The Liberals, NDP, and Bloc Québécois sign "policy accord" whereby the Bloc would support a Liberal/NDP government for at least 18 months.
  December 4, 2008: Parliament prorogued by the Governor General during the parliamentary dispute on advice of the Prime Minister.
  December 8, 2008: Stéphane Dion announces his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party
  December 10, 2008: Michael Ignatieff is chosen by the Liberal caucus as interim leader of the Liberal Party
  January 26, 2009: Parliament to reconvene for second session.
  January 28, 2009: Michael Ignatieff announces that the Liberal Party will support the Conservative Budget.
  April 13, 2009: Dawn Black, NDP MP from New Westminster—Coquitlam, resigns her seat to run in the 2009 British Columbia general election
context_section_description: This article outlines the events leading up to the 41st Canadian federal election of May 2, 2011, starting with the prior election.
  October 14, 2008: Elections held for members of the House of Commons in the 40th Canadian Parliament.
  November 4, 2008: Writs returned to the Chief Election Officer.
  November 18, 2008: 40th Parliament first convenes.
  December 1, 2008: The Liberals and NDP sign agreement on proposed coalition government to replace the governing Conservatives under Prime Minister Harper.
  December 1, 2008: The Liberals, NDP, and Bloc Québécois sign "policy accord" whereby the Bloc would support a Liberal/NDP government for at least 18 months.
  December 4, 2008: Parliament prorogued by the Governor General during the parliamentary dispute on advice of the Prime Minister.
  December 8, 2008: Stéphane Dion announces his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party (after his successor is chosen)
  December 10, 2008: Michael Ignatieff is chosen by the Liberal caucus as interim leader of the Liberal Party
  January 26, 2009: Parliament to reconvene for second session.
  January 28, 2009: Michael Ignatieff announces that the Liberal Party will support the Conservative Budget.
  April 13, 2009: Dawn Black, NDP MP from New Westminster—Coquitlam, resigns her seat to run in the 2009 British Columbia general election
  April 30, 2009: Bill Casey, Independent MP from Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, resigns his seat to accept a job with the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs.
  May 2, 2009: Michael Ignatieff officially becomes leader of the Liberal Party at the party convention in Vancouver
  May 4, 2009: All members of the Conservative Party caucus are renominated in their ridings.
  May 21, 2009: Paul Crête, BQ MP from Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, resigns his seat to run in the Rivière-du-Loup provincial by-election.
  August 31, 2009: Michael Ignatieff announces that the Liberal Party will no longer support the Harper Government.
  September 16, 2009: Réal Ménard, BQ MP from Hochelaga, resigns his seat to run in the 2009 Montreal municipal election.
  October 1, 2009: The Liberal Party proposes a no-confidence motion, which is defeated in the House when the NDP abstain from voting, causing the vote to fail.
  November 9, 2009: Four by-elections are held. The Conservatives gain two seats—one previously held by the BQ and one by an independent. The BQ and NDP hold one seat apiece.
  December 30, 2009: Prime Minister Harper prorogues Parliament until March 3.
  March 3, 2010: Parliament resumes.
  April 9, 2010: Helena Guergis, resigned her post as Minister of State for Status of Women and is forced to leave the Conservative caucus and sit as an independent pending a Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigation into her conduct.
  April 30, 2010: NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis resigns as MP and leaves federal politics, in order to run for Mayor of Winnipeg.
  August 25, 2010: Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua announces his intention to resign as MP for Vaughan.
  September 15, 2010: Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette Conservative MP Inky Mark's resignation takes effect. He has announced he will be resigning on this date to run for mayor of Dauphin, Manitoba.
  October 22, 2010: Jean-Yves Roy, BQ MP for Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, resigns his seat. Roy had previously announced his intent not to run in the next election.
  October 25, 2010: Conservative MP and former Government House Leader Jay Hill resigns as MP for Prince George—Peace River
  November 14, 2010: Conservative MP and Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice resigns as MP for Calgary Centre-North to become vice-chairman of CIBC.
  November 29, 2010: Three by-elections are held. The Conservatives gain one seat from the Liberals and retain a seat, while the Liberals gain one seat from the NDP.
  January 31, 2011: The Newfoundland and Labrador First Party becomes deregistered after failing to meet a membership quota.
  March 21, 2011: A House of Commons committee recommends that the Conservative government be found in contempt of parliament.
  March 22, 2011: The 2011 feder
caption: Jack Layton, Leader of the NDP
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