Canada PM suggests election is near

TORONTO—Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper signaled Tuesday he might call an early election, a move that would head off opposition efforts to topple his minority government.

Harper's Conservatives have a tenuous hold on power, and all three opposition parties have said or suggested they'll try to bring his goverment down with a no confidence vote soon.

Harper seems bent on having the election now, with analysts saying his chances of winning are greater sooner than later.

To do so, however, Harper will have to maneuver around a law he helped enact after he came to power in 2006, a law that sets a fixed date for an election in October 2009.

"The country must have a government that can function during a time of economic uncertainty, and if it's not this government, or not this Parliament, the public will have an opportunity to decide whom," Harper said.

Three federal by-elections are slated for Sept. 8 to fill three vacant seats in Parliament, and opposition parties are favored to win at least two of those races. That could bolster the political outlook for the opposition parties ahead of a national election.

Analysts say Harper wants the national election called before that day to deny the opposition Liberals any momentum. He said he was considering calling an election before that -- meaning an election could be called a soon as this week or next.

An early election would delay the fixed election date of October 2009. Harper first proposed the law fixing the election dates, ostensibly so that the ruling party could not arbitrarily call for an early election.

A loophole in the law allows the prime minister to ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament. Harper announced Tuesday that the governor general will not go to China for the opening of the Paralympics Sept. 6, which ensures she'll be in Canada and available to act.

"It is prudent for the governor general to remain in Canada," Harper spokesman Dimitri Soudas said.

Harper contends that the opposition will likely trigger an election before October 2009 anyway.

"They're committed to an election well before then. If they're clearly committed to that course of action, and I think they are, then it behooves the government to provide some responsibility," Harper said.

Harper's government could be brought down after Parliament resumes Sept. 15 if the three opposition parties who together hold the majority of seats vote against the government in a no-confidence motion.

Harper's Conservatives unseated the opposition Liberals in 2006 after nearly 13 years in power, but as a minority government the party has a tenuous hold on power, with Harper forced to rely on opposition lawmakers to pass legislation.

Harper said Parliament has become dysfunctional and isn't likely to pass bills proposed by his government.

Opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion said Harper appeared to be trying to force an election before the slowing economy showed Conservative policy shortcomings.