World Dec. 05, 2008 - 03:18AM JST ( 7 )

OTTAWA —

Embattled Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper won a political reprieve Thursday by obtaining an unprecedented shutdown of parliament and thwarting an opposition bid to topple his government.

After two hours of crisis talks here, Governor General Michaelle Jean agreed to Harper’s request to suspend the two-week old assembly until the New Year, stymieing the opposition’s move to call a no-confidence vote on Monday.

“On my advice, the governor-general has agreed to prorogue parliament,” said Harper, after a week of turmoil when all three opposition parties banded together to try to oust his ruling Conservatives.

The main Liberal opposition led by Stephane Dion spearheaded the move to unseat the government, accusing Harper of failing to shore up the nation’s plunging economy.

Dion’s coalition had scheduled a parliamentary vote of no-confidence on Dec 8, leaving Harper fighting for his survival just seven weeks after being re-elected at the head of a minority government in snap elections.

But the governor general’s decision now gives Harper some breathing space to try to resolve the crisis.

It also allows Finance Minister Jim Flaherty time to prepare a budget for Jan 27 that is expected to undercut the coalition’s call for a fast-tracked economic stimulus package.

“We are planning here the quickest federal budget in history,” Harper said. “I don’t think the opposition could produce a budget any quicker than this.

“So I would simply encourage them to engage with the government,” he said. “What I think Canadians want us to do is work on the economy and work together.”

The opposition coalition, however, stood by its position.

“Nothing has changed for us,” said Dion, adding “unless he makes a monumental change” which includes presenting parliament with “a real recovery plan” for the economy.

“He’s put a lock on the door of the House of Commons,” lamented Jack Layton, leader of the socialist New Democrats. “And he refuses to face the people of Canada through their elected representatives. That is an attack on democracy.” 

“We are still prepared to support the coalition,” said Gilles Duceppe, leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

Canada is the only Group of Eight industrialized nation to be seemingly weathering the global financial crisis and the only G8 country forecast by the International Monetary Fund to post positive growth next year.

But key sectors of its economy are struggling and private sector forecasts say Canada may already be in a recession.

The unprecedented shutdown of parliament so soon after the start of a new legislative session comes after a week of political turmoil, which has rocked the country and sharply divided public opinion.

Ailing sectors of the Canadian economy, notably auto and forestry firms, had welcomed the coalition’s power grab and its pledge for fast relief.

Dion had urged Jean, as representative of Canada’s head of state Queen Elizabeth II, not to suspend the parliament, pushing instead for his coalition to be installed in its place.

But according to a recent Angus Reid poll, 64% of Canadians do not back Dion to be prime minister in a coalition government. Some 53% however were against the Conservatives’ current economic policy.

Fifty-seven percent are also concerned about the separatist Bloc Quebecois’s role in the coalition.

Wire reports