Sliding in polls, Canada's PM unveils platform

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, sliding in the polls a week before elections, on Tuesday released modest legislative goals saying now is not the time to boost spending.

Harper's Conservative Party has faced criticism the prime minister is out of touch with the country's economic situation, but Harper has insisted that the economy is stable and that no major intervention is necessary.

The new Conservative platform promises $745 million in tariff relief and loans for hard-hit manufacturers, but otherwise includes no major new spending.

Toronto's stock exchange dropped 10 percent Monday before rallying late in the day, though it dropped again by four percent on Tuesday as oil stocks were sold off amid fears of a global economic slowdown.

Harper said the market was overreacting to falling oil prices — which he acknowledged were down but still higher than a year ago.

A national Harris-Decima poll released Tuesday found voter support for the Conservatives at 31 percent, 10 points below where they were in early September. The Liberals are at 26 percent, followed by the New Democratic Party with 21 percent and the Green Party at 13 percent.

Harper has maintained that Canada will avoid the mortgage meltdown and banking crisis hammering the United States and Europe.

"If we choose to stay the course of lower taxes, of lower debt and prudent spending Canada will come out of the current international downturn stronger," Harper said.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has accused Harper of having no plan to fight economic turmoil and has said he would convene a meeting with financial experts and government leaders within 30 days of an election victory to assess the economy and chart a path forward.

"We can't keep a prime minister that has done nothing to prepare us for the economic difficulties of today," Dion said Tuesday.

Harper called early elections for Oct. 14 in hopes his party can increase its numbers in the 308-seat Parliament.

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Oct 7, 2008 - 08:55 p.m. EDT

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