Canada PM dissolves parliament, calls general election

Former cabinet minister Peter Kent said the eight-week campaign for the January 2006 election had been brutal.

Harper calls the choice in this election “critical” and says it is important that Canadians think about the important issues.

Across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Que., with the emblematic Peace Tower looming in the distance, Mulcair – perhaps dwelling on the campaign’s history-making potential for the NDP – took a moment to gather himself before urging Canadians to put an end to almost a decade of Conservative rule.

The move also comes after the Conservative government has made many promises, in the last few weeks, of significant investment throughout the country should they be re-elected.

One scenario is that the left-leaning New Democratic Party and the centrist Liberal Party would topple the Conservatives immediately and the one with more seats would seek to form a government with the support of the other.

“I’ve heard the calls for change grow louder, and it isn’t hard to see why”.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is in Vancouver.

Trudeau says Harper’s plan is not working and the “real risk is sticking with the status quo”. The measure would deplete public coffers by $60 million a year, starting in 2016.

The Bank of Canada last month slashed rates for the second time this year to revive an economy badly hit by lower global oil prices. “And we’re prepared to take our message to the people”.

He says the Liberals would work to bring more worldwide deals to benefit Canadian businesses.

Forum: “If a federal election were held today, which party are you most likely to vote for?”

With an election date set for October. 19, this event marked the start of what will be the longest election campaign in Canada since 1872.

Stephen Harper launched his quest for re-election inside a Montreal hall by boasting how the values of his Conservative Party mesh with those of Quebecers.

Pollster Nik Nanos said the cost issue alone was unlikely to drive votes but it could have a cumulative effect if voters also disagree over Harper’s economic claims.

The campaign, which at 79 days is Canada’s longest since 1872, comes amid a string of grim economic news.

The economy as a whole, however, has struggled this year – it contracted over the first five months to the point some believe it was in recession. Harper, too, seemed to have Alberta on his mind Monday.

“If we had better environmental policy in this country, we would be reassuring our trading partners, we would reassure Canadians, and we would have a much better ability to get those resources to market”, he said.

Harper has managed to nudge a traditionally center-left country to the right since coming to power in 2006.

Harper stands to become the first prime minister since Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1908 to win four consecutive elections.

“It’s gamble though, quite frankly, for the Prime Minister to have such an extended campaign”.

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On Sunday, Harper said the state of the economy, which his opponents view as his weakness, was the main reason to re-elect his government. Having helped drive Liberal support to the NDP, they’ve now evidently decided they need to blunt Mulcair’s momentum at the outset of the campaign.