Harper suspends Canada parliament to avert defeat
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper suspended the country's legislature for more than seven weeks in a bid to stave off a challenge from opposition parties seeking to bring down his government, reports Bloomberg.
Harper, re-elected in October, said Governor General Michaelle Jean, who acts as the country's head of state, agreed to his request to close Parliament until Jan. 26. The government's first order of business will be a budget scheduled for Jan. 27, Harper said, calling on the opposition to work with his administration on a "stimulus" package for the ailing economy.
"The opposition criticism is 'we have to focus on the economy immediately' and today's decision will give us an opportunity to focus on the economy," Harper told reporters outside the governor general's residence in Ottawa today. "It is critical for the three parties to work together on the decisions that need to be made with respect to the budget."
The main opposition Liberals agreed Dec. 1 to form a coalition with the New Democratic Party in a bid to accelerate a stimulus package for the economy and oust the Harper government. The separatist Bloc Quebecois wouldn't be part of the government though agreed to help it pass any legislation deemed matters of confidence. All three opposition leaders say they're still committed to defeating Harper when Parliament resumes.
The Canadian dollar fell the most in two weeks today and stocks fell on the political moves and a drop in the price of crude oil, a key export. The currency fell as much as 2.2 percent to C$1.2802 per US dollar, and traded for C$1.2771 at 4:39 p.m. in Toronto. The Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index slipped 239.14, or 2.9 percent, to 8,057.82.
"The prime minister has decided to put the locks on the doors of the House of Commons," NDP Leader Jack Layton told reporters in Ottawa after the decision. "We won't give up on our objective."
Harper refused to grant the opposition a vote in Parliament that would have brought down his government, instead asking Jean to let him suspend the legislature. The three opposition blocs combined hold a majority of seats in the House of Commons, Parliament's lower house.
The procedural move was unprecedented, marking the first time a prime minister has requested the suspension of the legislature to avoid a so-called confidence vote. Parliament's suspension comes less than three weeks after the session began.
"For the first time in the history of Canada, the prime minister of Canada is running away from the Parliament of Canada," Stephane Dion, the 52-year-old Liberal leader who would head the coalition government, told reporters, adding he will "respect" the governor general's decision.
Harper, re-elected in October, said Governor General Michaelle Jean, who acts as the country's head of state, agreed to his request to close Parliament until Jan. 26. The government's first order of business will be a budget scheduled for Jan. 27, Harper said, calling on the opposition to work with his administration on a "stimulus" package for the ailing economy.
"The opposition criticism is 'we have to focus on the economy immediately' and today's decision will give us an opportunity to focus on the economy," Harper told reporters outside the governor general's residence in Ottawa today. "It is critical for the three parties to work together on the decisions that need to be made with respect to the budget."
The main opposition Liberals agreed Dec. 1 to form a coalition with the New Democratic Party in a bid to accelerate a stimulus package for the economy and oust the Harper government. The separatist Bloc Quebecois wouldn't be part of the government though agreed to help it pass any legislation deemed matters of confidence. All three opposition leaders say they're still committed to defeating Harper when Parliament resumes.
The Canadian dollar fell the most in two weeks today and stocks fell on the political moves and a drop in the price of crude oil, a key export. The currency fell as much as 2.2 percent to C$1.2802 per US dollar, and traded for C$1.2771 at 4:39 p.m. in Toronto. The Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index slipped 239.14, or 2.9 percent, to 8,057.82.
"The prime minister has decided to put the locks on the doors of the House of Commons," NDP Leader Jack Layton told reporters in Ottawa after the decision. "We won't give up on our objective."
Harper refused to grant the opposition a vote in Parliament that would have brought down his government, instead asking Jean to let him suspend the legislature. The three opposition blocs combined hold a majority of seats in the House of Commons, Parliament's lower house.
The procedural move was unprecedented, marking the first time a prime minister has requested the suspension of the legislature to avoid a so-called confidence vote. Parliament's suspension comes less than three weeks after the session began.
"For the first time in the history of Canada, the prime minister of Canada is running away from the Parliament of Canada," Stephane Dion, the 52-year-old Liberal leader who would head the coalition government, told reporters, adding he will "respect" the governor general's decision.