Canadian PM to call for suspension of parliament

OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was Thursday to call for the two-week old parliament to be suspended to block an opposition bid to topple his government and take over without fresh elections.Harper was meeting with Governor General Michaelle Jean, the country's acting head of state as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, to ask her to end the current session to buy him time to resolve the political turmoil. The unprecedented move comes after a week of political turmoil, which has rocked the country and sharply divided public opinion.The Liberal opposition led by Stephane Dion has spearheaded moves to oust the minority Conservative government, accusing Harper of failing to address the plunging economy in the Group of Eight nation.As a parliamentary vote of no-confidence looms on Monday, Harper is fighting for his survival just seven weeks after being re-elected at the head of a minority government in snap elections.Dion has called on Jean to dissolve the current government and install in its place a three-party opposition alliance, including Quebec separatists, without fresh elections. Opposition politicians notably accuse the government of failing to boost the country's economy as it confronts the global financial crisis.Under the Canadian constitution, the governor general has the power to accept or reject the prime minister's request to suspend parliament. Constitutional experts say no governor general has ever refused a prime minister's request to suspend parliament. But then no premier has ever requested such a move so soon after an election.Opposition leader Dion has rejected any move to halt the work of the assembly.