All of Canada's three opposition parties suggested Sunday they plan to bring down the Conservative government next year, which may happen as early as March.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe said they did not think the minority government would last through 2008, during interviews with Canadian Television (CTV).
The spring federal budget, which should be announced before March 31, might be defeated by a non-confidence vote, thus triggering an election, the leaders said.
Dion said Canadians have reached the "psychological threshold" of becoming frustrated with the government two years after it assumed office, citing its mismanagement of environmental issues.
Dion has had a rough time after being elected last December as the Liberal leader, dealing with constant questions about his leadership abilities, crucial by-election losses in Quebec and low poll ratings that have forced him to prop up the Conservatives in order to avoid heading to the ballot.
But he suggested Sunday that it may change in 2008. "We need to see the budget, we need to see the bills that the government is proposing, and then we'll vote accordingly."
"2008 will be another ball game. You cannot keep alive forever a government who wants to die," he said during an interview earlier.
Dion, who advocates economic prosperity, social justice and environmental sustainability as the three pillars of his platform, disagrees with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's position on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, tax cut policy, Afghan policy and other things.
A recent poll suggested the Liberals, who had for the most timelagged behind, were now neck and neck with the Conservatives. The Conservatives' unpopular position at the Bali climate change conference pushed it down six percentage points in popular support to 30 percent, while the Liberals were up four points to 32 percent, according to the poll released last week.
NDP leader Jack Layton said the Conservatives have taken Canada down the wrong path in terms of environmental issues and the war in Afghanistan.
He blamed Dion for letting Harper stay in government. "He has been propping up Mr. Harper all fall, and abstaining on a throne speech that's explicitly said we'll stay in Afghanistan longer, we will abandon Kyoto and we'll give huge tax reductions to those doing well," Layton told CTV.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe also heavily criticized the Conservatives' stance on the environment, Afghanistan and the economy.
"I don't see how their (Conservatives) budget will be supported by any of the opposition parties," he told CTV.
The Conservatives swept to power in the general election in January 2006, after a successive 13-year Liberal rule. It occupies only 126 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons and needs the support of the opposition to pass bills or survive. The Liberals have 96.
Source: Xinhua
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