"I actually thought she had to meet with the Governor General and put the date forward in a formal fashion, get permission and then announce the date?"
She has to go to the GG to dissolve parliament, which usually coincides with the election date being called.
What she has done is very unusual, unprecedented I think according to one veteran election commentator.
Why is another question. It means that the country will now be effectively ungoverned until September. Every move will be made with election as motive. There is nothing to stop her going mad with the cheque book now, and leaving an unholy debt and mess to clean up.
It is unusual for a government to be in the situation where it can sabotage the incoming government to this extent. I think I'll go to America for the winter.
