Conservative leader Stephen Harper (left) campaigning in Montreal, Quebec, and Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal leader Paul Martin canvassing in Milton, Ontario, on Wednesday. Canadians go to the polls in a federal election today. - REUTERS PHOTOS
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters):
CANADIAN POLITICAL leaders yesterday made one last cross-country dash on the eve of an election expected to oust the ruling Liberals, move Canada to the right and improve ties with the United States.
With polls showing a steady lead of seven to 12 percentage points, the Conservatives sounded increasingly confident. But it looked like they would fall short of a majority in Parliament and have to depend on other parties to govern.
"After 13 years and four failed mandates, the era of Liberal arrogance is ending," local candidate Michael Smith told a Winnipeg rally as he introduced Conservative leader Stephen Harper.
It is Canada's second election in just 18 months, and the third since 2000. The Liberals, who took power in 1993, campaigned on their fiscal record, reminding people the economy was booming and trying to portray Harper as an extremist who wanted to scrap gay marriage and abortion.
But Prime Minister Paul Martin, who spent yesterday in British Columbia before flying to his home province of Quebec, seems likely to fall victim to voter fatigue with the Liberals and a damaging kickback scandal that hit his government shortly after he took power in December 2003.
"Only a new government can turn the page on the past 13 years of scandal, and inaction, and get on with addressing the real concerns of ordinary working people," Harper said.
"We have an opportunity with a new government, and only a new government, to bring together East and West, English and French, city and country, new and old Canadians."
Some polls suggest the Liberals will get their lowest percentage of votes in any election since Canada's independence in 1867 - even lower than the 28 percent they collected in 1984.
If Harper wins, it will be his reward for uniting Canada's two fractious right-wing parties at the end of 2003 and creating the Conservative Party. He would be the first prime minister to have spent most of his life in the conservative Western province of Alberta.
Harper promises to lower taxes, clamp down on crime, clean up government, cut waiting times for health care and return some power from the federal government to Canada's 10 provinces.
He also wants to ease tensions with Washington. Martin has consistently attacked the United States over a softwood lumber trade dispute and often says Canada must shun what he calls "American-style" health care.
Martin insists the Liberals can still win, saying more Canadians are waking up to what he says is an agenda Harper inherited from extremist U.S. conservative movements.
Although Harper promises he has no plans to clamp down on abortion, he says he will ask Parliament if it wants to scrap a law allowing gay marriage.
The Conservatives have no natural allies in Parliament, they will have to govern issue by issue if they win. Minority governments in Canada rarely last more than 18 months.
