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Canada's PM to kick off election
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 07 - 09 - 2008


Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
planned to dissolve Parliament on Sunday, kicking off an
election campaign he hopes will strengthen his minority
government, reported ap.
Harper's Conservatives unseated the Liberal Party in 2006
after nearly 13 years in power, but as a minority
government the Conservatives have had a tenuous hold on
power, and have forced to rely on opposition lawmakers to
pass legislation and adopt budgets.
The party must win an additional 28 seats to gain a
majority in Parliament, and although Harper has played down
that possibility, polls in recent days show the
right-of-center party has a good shot at doing so in the
country's third national ballot in four years.
Analysts believe the Conservatives have a better shot of
winning on the expected election day of Oct. 14, rather
than waiting until being forced into an election by the
opposition with a confidence vote when the Canadian economy
might be worse off.
«It's about who the best leader is to lead the country
through uncertain economic times,» Harper spokesman Kory
Teneycke said.
Observers said Harper also might want a ballot ahead of
the U.S. presidential election in November, which could put
a Democrat in the White House and encourage Canadians to
choose a more liberal government.
Harper has said he is running on economic issues and an
energy tax proposed by the Liberal opposition, but Robert
Bothwell, director of the international relations program
at the University of Toronto argued the move was political.
«Harper is going for a majority government. That's really
the only issue,» he said.
Harper has said he expects an election to produce another
minority government, but Bothwell argued that Harper is
saying that because he does not want to stir up Canadians
who worry a majority Conservative government would move
further right.
Harper officials dispute Bothwell's argument, saying that
the Liberals were unlikely to inspire Canadian voters. Many
expect Liberal leader Stephane Dion to be removed if he
loses the election.
«I've not met Barack Obama but I have met Stephane Dion
and I think on all accounts he's no Barack Obama,»
Teneycke said.
Dion was a part of Canada's Liberal government that
opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and turned
down Washington's request to join. Harper supported the
Iraq war when he was in the opposition.
The Conservatives now fill 127 of the 308 seats in
Parliament. The Liberals have 95, Bloc Quebecois 48, the
New Democrats 30 and the Greens have one seat. Three seats
are held by independents, and four are vacant.
Harper is to visit Governor General Michaelle Jean on
Sunday morning and ask her to dissolve Parliament. The
governor general is the representative of Britain's Queen
Elizabeth II, who is Canada's head of state, but the
position is purely ceremonial and obeys the wishes of the
prime minister.
The early election call violates the spirit of electoral
legislation that Harper helped enact after he came to power
in 2006. The law fixed the date for the next election in
October 2009, but a loophole allows the prime minister to
ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament.
An Environics Research survey said 38 percent of Canadians
would vote for the Conservatives and 28 percent for the
Liberals. Some 19 percent backed the New Democrats, 8
percent the Bloc Quebecois and 7 percent the Green party.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Saturday if the
Conservatives win next election he will lower personal
taxes to make them more competitive with the U.S. in the
next few years.
Since becoming prime minister, Harper has extended
Canada's military mission in Afghanistan. Canada has lost
96 soldiers and as the death toll approaches 100 the
mission could become an issue on the campaign.
Harper also pulled Canada out of the Kyoto Protocol, which
commits industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.


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