Canadian election looks like a stalemate

Source: Agencies  |   2008-10-15  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

CANADA'S Conservative prime minister appeared poised to retain his job as polls closed in yesterday's national election, but his attempt to seize a majority in Canada's Parliament looked to have failed.

Polls and pundits are predicting another minority government for Stephen Harper, who has held power tenuously since a 2006 election. He called the vote hoping to win the 155 seats needed for a majority in the 308-seat Parliament.

But Harper, the first major world leader to face election since the global credit crisis worsened, has been hurt by his slow reaction to the market meltdown, and that ?? among other missteps ?? may have cost him his bid for the majority.

The first of Canada's 23.4 million registered voters began voting at 6pm yesterday, China standard time.

Harper and his Liberal rival crisscrossed the country on Monday in a final day of campaigning, as analysts predicted that the Conservatives would not achieve a majority.

"He's probably maneuvered himself to a position where he can probably hold power but he won't actually be able to implement his agenda," said Robert Bothwell, director of the international relations program at the University of Toronto.

"I think the absolute best result for Harper is a stalemate."

Polls at the start of the campaign had Harper winning a majority, but the prime minister hurt himself when he said during a debate that Canadians were not concerned about their jobs or mortgages. Days later, he said stocks were cheap.

Canada's main stock exchange then had its worst week in almost 70 years.

The prime minister has maintained that Canada will avoid the mortgage meltdown. But his government announced last week that it will buy up to US$21 billion in mortgages from the country's banks.