Ed,

According to the link below a snap election may be called anytime by the ruling party. It does not need a budget defeat.

goldhunter

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Canada

"Fixed dates

Although, under Section 4 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, each parliament has a maximum term of five years after the return of the writs of the last election, on November 6, 2006, the Parliament of Canada passed Bill C-16, An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act. It requires that each general election is to take place on the third Monday in October in the fourth calendar year after the previous poll, starting with October 19, 2009.[5][6][7]

Nevertheless, the law does not curtail the power of the governor general to dissolve parliament at any time, meaning the prime minister may advise such a move whenever he or she feels is prudent." (bold mine)