Canadian PM employs loophole in potential power grab
TORONTO, Canada (AP) — Canada’s prime minister dissolved Parliament on Sunday and called an early election for next month in hopes of strengthening his Conservative minority government’s hold on power.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s party needs an additional 28 seats to have a majority in Parliament. Although he has downplayed that possibility, polls in recent days indicate his right wing party has a chance to do so.
The October 14 election will be Canada’s third ballot in four years.
The Conservatives unseated the Liberal Party in 2006 after nearly 13 years in power, but as a minority government the Conservatives have been forced to rely on opposition lawmakers to pass legislation and adopt budgets.
With Harper signaling in recent weeks that he was leaning toward calling early elections, analysts said the Conservatives had a better shot of winning now than if they waited until being forced by the opposition into a vote later, when the Canadian economy might be worse off.
On Sunday, Harper visited Governor General Michaelle Jean and asked 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 the governor general obeys the wishes of the prime minister.
Between now and October 14, Canadians will choose a government to look out for their interests at a time of global economic trouble, Harper said after the meeting.
