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Canadian election call expected Sunday
by Tina Kells | September 4, 2008 at 03:52 pm | 159 views | 1 comment | 5 recommendations
With parliament set to reconvene on September 15, political observers are expecting an election call announcement to be made this Sunday. Speculation about an election in Canada has turned to certainty; it is no longer a matter of if the call will be made, but when. Several sitting Conservatives, including controversial Liberal defector David Emerson, have already announced that they will not run again.
Soon after rumours of an election surfaced, Foreign Minister David Emerson and two other ministers announced they would not be seeking re-election.
Mr Harper had indicated on Wednesday that he had made up his mind about an election and would inform Canadians of his decision "in the coming days".
He has hinted several times that an election was inevitable to break the deadlock between the government and opposition parties.
And several media outlets have reported that the prime minister intended to meet Governor-General Michaelle Jean on Sunday to ask for parliament's dissolution.
Although no official word has come from Ottawa, it is expected that Canadians will go to the polls some time in mid-October. October 14 has been suggested as a likely date.
The Conservative minority government has struggled to form effective alliances with the opposition parties, which has led to a breakdown in government. Under Canadian law the Governor General must call an election when such a stalemate occurs.
The call is expected despite changes to the Canada Election Act, made by Stephen Harper's government in 2006, which fixed election dates. The next scheduled trip to the polls for Canadian voters was supposed to come on October 19, 2009.
September 4, 2008 at 03:52 pm by Tina Kells, 159 views, 1 comment
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 19:56 on September 4th, 2008
Tina Kells, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Hum. It is about time.