Corruption scandal has Canada preparing for poll

CANADA’S politicians will hit the campaign trail this holiday season after opposition parties seized upon a corruption scandal to bring down the minority government of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Yesterday’s loss means an election for all 308 seats in the lower House of Commons on January 23. Mr Martin and his Cabinet will govern until then.

The Conservative Party teamed up with the New Democratic and Bloc Quebecois parties to bring down the government, claiming the ruling Liberal Party had lost its moral authority. Recent polls have given the Liberals a slight lead over the Conservatives, with the New Democrats in third place.

The same surveys suggest the Bloc Quebecois would sweep the French-speaking province of Quebec, making a majority government unlikely no matter which party wins the most seats.

The opposition is banking on the public’s disgust with a corruption scandal involving the misuse of funds targeted for a national unity programme in Quebec.

An initial investigation absolved Martin of wrongdoing, but accused senior Liberal members of taking kickbacks and misspending tens of millions of dollars in public funds.

The government ran into peril this month when it lost the support of the New Democratic Party, whose backing earlier this year helped Mr Martin escape a previous no-confidence motion by a single vote.

Mr Martin has had frosty relations with the White House, standing by the Liberal Party decision not to support the US invasion of Iraq. He also declined to join in Washington’s continental ballistic missile shield, infuriating the Bush administration, has been called weak on terrorism, and was vocal in his opposition of high US tariffs on Canadian lumber.

His push to legalise gay marriage throughout Canada also raised the hackles of Republicans south of the 49th parallel, but the prime minister is widely respected worldwide for Canada’s neutrality and open arms toward immigrants and minorities.