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| Canadian Prime Minister Calls Federal Election | Canadian Prime Minister Calls Federal Election |
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| OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada called a federal election on Sunday, hoping to maintain his Conservative Party’s decade-long hold on power despite questions about its ethics and a struggling economy. | OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada called a federal election on Sunday, hoping to maintain his Conservative Party’s decade-long hold on power despite questions about its ethics and a struggling economy. |
| By law, Mr. Harper had to hold a vote in October. But he broke with Canadian political tradition by formally opening the campaign in the middle of summer during what is a holiday weekend in most of the country. The move appeared designed to give the Conservative Party an edge in campaign spending. The campaign period before the vote on Oct. 19 will be the longest since Canadians all began voting on a single day in 1874. | By law, Mr. Harper had to hold a vote in October. But he broke with Canadian political tradition by formally opening the campaign in the middle of summer during what is a holiday weekend in most of the country. The move appeared designed to give the Conservative Party an edge in campaign spending. The campaign period before the vote on Oct. 19 will be the longest since Canadians all began voting on a single day in 1874. |
| On Sunday, Mr. Harper said that the state of the economy, which his opponents view as his weakness, was the key reason to re-elect his government. | On Sunday, Mr. Harper said that the state of the economy, which his opponents view as his weakness, was the key reason to re-elect his government. |
| “It’s an election about who will protect our economy in a period of ongoing global instability,” Mr. Harper said after asking David Johnston, the governor general, to dissolve Parliament. “Now is not the time for the kind of risky economic schemes that are doing so much damage elsewhere in the world.” | “It’s an election about who will protect our economy in a period of ongoing global instability,” Mr. Harper said after asking David Johnston, the governor general, to dissolve Parliament. “Now is not the time for the kind of risky economic schemes that are doing so much damage elsewhere in the world.” |
| Mr. Harper also repeatedly invoked the threat to Canada he said is posed by the Islamic State, and he referred to the shooting in October in Ottawa during which a Canadian-born Islamic extremist killed a soldier at the National War Memorial before storming the Parliament Buildings. | Mr. Harper also repeatedly invoked the threat to Canada he said is posed by the Islamic State, and he referred to the shooting in October in Ottawa during which a Canadian-born Islamic extremist killed a soldier at the National War Memorial before storming the Parliament Buildings. |
| Thomas Mulcair, the leader of the New Democratic Party, criticized Mr. Harper for producing eight budget deficits in a row and increasing the federal debt. | Thomas Mulcair, the leader of the New Democratic Party, criticized Mr. Harper for producing eight budget deficits in a row and increasing the federal debt. |
| “Mr. Harper has the worst economic growth record of any prime minister since 1960,” Mr. Mulcair said. “Obviously, Mr. Harper, your plan isn’t working.” | “Mr. Harper has the worst economic growth record of any prime minister since 1960,” Mr. Mulcair said. “Obviously, Mr. Harper, your plan isn’t working.” |
| After arriving in Vancouver, British Columbia, to attend that city’s Pride Parade, Justin Trudeau, the Liberal leader, was critical of both Mr. Mulcair and Mr. Harper during a news conference. Like his opponents, Mr. Trudeau focused on economic issues. | |
| “If people want change in this country, it’s because the economy is not working for them,” Mr. Trudeau said. “The change that Canadians want is change in favor of a new economic plan.” | |
| Mr. Harper’s Conservative government first took power in 2006 and has won two elections since then, gaining a majority of seats in the House of Commons in 2011. But over the past two years, concerns over the economy and ethics issues have eroded the popularity of Mr. Harper and his party. | Mr. Harper’s Conservative government first took power in 2006 and has won two elections since then, gaining a majority of seats in the House of Commons in 2011. But over the past two years, concerns over the economy and ethics issues have eroded the popularity of Mr. Harper and his party. |
| A collapse in oil prices has severely depressed Canada’s energy industry, which is based in Mr. Harper’s adopted home province of Alberta. And despite a corresponding drop in the value of the Canadian dollar, there has not been a hoped for jump in exports of Canadian goods. | A collapse in oil prices has severely depressed Canada’s energy industry, which is based in Mr. Harper’s adopted home province of Alberta. And despite a corresponding drop in the value of the Canadian dollar, there has not been a hoped for jump in exports of Canadian goods. |
| Mr. Harper’s party, who came to power partly because of a spending scandal involving a Liberal government, has also faced criticism over allegations of misspending by members of Canada’s unelected Senate, as well as the criminal trial of one of Mr. Harper’s appointees. And a former parliamentary secretary to Mr. Harper was recently sentenced to a month in jail and house arrest and fined for breaking election spending laws. | Mr. Harper’s party, who came to power partly because of a spending scandal involving a Liberal government, has also faced criticism over allegations of misspending by members of Canada’s unelected Senate, as well as the criminal trial of one of Mr. Harper’s appointees. And a former parliamentary secretary to Mr. Harper was recently sentenced to a month in jail and house arrest and fined for breaking election spending laws. |
| While Mr. Harper has promoted causes that have proven popular with some voters, including a tough-on-crime legislative program and offering unwavering support for Israel, the electorate may be tiring of him after his more than a decade in office. | While Mr. Harper has promoted causes that have proven popular with some voters, including a tough-on-crime legislative program and offering unwavering support for Israel, the electorate may be tiring of him after his more than a decade in office. |
| Mr. Harper has a reputation as a micromanager who is intolerant of critics, and critics say he has been overly aggressive with those who cross him, including opposition politicians, environmental groups and even the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. | Mr. Harper has a reputation as a micromanager who is intolerant of critics, and critics say he has been overly aggressive with those who cross him, including opposition politicians, environmental groups and even the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. |
| And after facing opposition parties short of cash and with weak leaderships in three previous campaigns, Mr. Harper is facing a newly resurgent opponent this time. | And after facing opposition parties short of cash and with weak leaderships in three previous campaigns, Mr. Harper is facing a newly resurgent opponent this time. |
| After the last federal election, the New Democratic Party, the furthest left of Canada’s three mainstream national parties, held the second largest number of seats in the House of Commons, making it the official opposition for the first time. Its profile and credibility grew in May when the party’s branch in Alberta ended four and a half decades of Conservative rule in that province. Recent polls have placed the New Democrats in the lead, slightly ahead of the Conservatives, although the three major parties have been roughly tied over the past few months. | |
| In a country where summer can be all too brief, it is rare for politicians to call an election unless forced to do so. | In a country where summer can be all too brief, it is rare for politicians to call an election unless forced to do so. |
| “It’s against all the folklore of Canadian politics to call an election in the summer,” said C.E.S. Franks, a prominent parliamentary scholar and professor emeritus at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. “Doing that when people are on their docks, not thinking about politics — I can see it being about as welcome as a root canal.” | “It’s against all the folklore of Canadian politics to call an election in the summer,” said C.E.S. Franks, a prominent parliamentary scholar and professor emeritus at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. “Doing that when people are on their docks, not thinking about politics — I can see it being about as welcome as a root canal.” |
| Canadians do not vote directly for prime minister or the governing party but will elect local members of Parliament in 338 electoral districts. In addition to the three major parties, the Green Party plans to field a comparatively large number of candidates, while many Quebec voters will have the option of electing candidates from the Bloc Québécois, a once powerful but now ailing separatist group. | Canadians do not vote directly for prime minister or the governing party but will elect local members of Parliament in 338 electoral districts. In addition to the three major parties, the Green Party plans to field a comparatively large number of candidates, while many Quebec voters will have the option of electing candidates from the Bloc Québécois, a once powerful but now ailing separatist group. |
| Yasmin Dawood, a professor of law and political science at the University of Toronto, said the timing of the election appeared intended to enable the Conservatives, who overwhelmingly lead in fund-raising, to outspend opponents during the campaign. | Yasmin Dawood, a professor of law and political science at the University of Toronto, said the timing of the election appeared intended to enable the Conservatives, who overwhelmingly lead in fund-raising, to outspend opponents during the campaign. |
| Election law changes introduced by Mr. Harper and passed by Parliament last year set a minimum of 37 days for campaigns but do not impose a maximum. The law means that parties would in theory be able to spend a maximum of about 25 million Canadian dollars, or about $19.1 million, for the first 37 days of the election plus an extra 685,185 Canadian dollars for every day afterward. Fund-raising filings up until last month show that, barring a flood of funds for opposition parties, only the Conservatives would have the money to last the duration of the 78-day campaign. | Election law changes introduced by Mr. Harper and passed by Parliament last year set a minimum of 37 days for campaigns but do not impose a maximum. The law means that parties would in theory be able to spend a maximum of about 25 million Canadian dollars, or about $19.1 million, for the first 37 days of the election plus an extra 685,185 Canadian dollars for every day afterward. Fund-raising filings up until last month show that, barring a flood of funds for opposition parties, only the Conservatives would have the money to last the duration of the 78-day campaign. |
| The call for elections will also severely restrict advertising by groups other than political parties. While prohibited from donating to candidates or parties, corporations and labor groups are free to fund third-party efforts only outside of a campaign period. Most prominently, some unions have backed Engage Canada, a group that has been running anti-Conservative ads since June. | |
| “The concern is that having such a long election period advantages certain parties over others,” Ms. Dawood said. | “The concern is that having such a long election period advantages certain parties over others,” Ms. Dawood said. |
| Cristine de Clercy, a professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, said that even if Canadians are put off by a long campaign, it is not likely to to affect how they vote. She said that the defining issue of the campaign was likely to be the economy. | Cristine de Clercy, a professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, said that even if Canadians are put off by a long campaign, it is not likely to to affect how they vote. She said that the defining issue of the campaign was likely to be the economy. |
| “It’s not necessarily fair to blame the federal government for the collapse in oil prices, but there are some deeper problems,” Ms. de Clercy said. “Where I live in Southern Ontario, we’ve been shedding manufacturing jobs for the last eight to 10 years.” | “It’s not necessarily fair to blame the federal government for the collapse in oil prices, but there are some deeper problems,” Ms. de Clercy said. “Where I live in Southern Ontario, we’ve been shedding manufacturing jobs for the last eight to 10 years.” |
| This will be the first campaign as party leader for both Mr. Mulcair and Justin Mr. Trudeau. | |
| While Mr. Mulcair, a lawyer from Quebec, has been widely seen as an effective opponent of Mr. Harper in Parliament, he remains relatively unknown in the rest of the country and lacks the charisma of Jack Layton, who led the New Democrats to their breakthrough in the May 2011 election, but died three months later. The cause was never disclosed, but Mr. Layton had been diagnosed earlier with cancer. | While Mr. Mulcair, a lawyer from Quebec, has been widely seen as an effective opponent of Mr. Harper in Parliament, he remains relatively unknown in the rest of the country and lacks the charisma of Jack Layton, who led the New Democrats to their breakthrough in the May 2011 election, but died three months later. The cause was never disclosed, but Mr. Layton had been diagnosed earlier with cancer. |
| As the son of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a former prime minister, Mr. Trudeau grew up in the public eye and shares his father’s charisma. Richard Johnston, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who specializes in public opinion polling, said that Mr. Trudeau must overcome two blunders during the campaign. | As the son of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a former prime minister, Mr. Trudeau grew up in the public eye and shares his father’s charisma. Richard Johnston, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who specializes in public opinion polling, said that Mr. Trudeau must overcome two blunders during the campaign. |
| Voters on the center right, he said, were offended when Mr. Trudeau made a “flippant and ill advised” joke about Canada’s use of its fighter aircraft against Islamic State targets. And younger voters and center-left voters, Mr. Johnston said, were dismayed by his decision to support sweeping national security legislation introduced by Mr. Harper, although Mr. Trudeau said that the Liberals would amend it if they took power. | Voters on the center right, he said, were offended when Mr. Trudeau made a “flippant and ill advised” joke about Canada’s use of its fighter aircraft against Islamic State targets. And younger voters and center-left voters, Mr. Johnston said, were dismayed by his decision to support sweeping national security legislation introduced by Mr. Harper, although Mr. Trudeau said that the Liberals would amend it if they took power. |
| “It remains to be seen how he will withstand close scrutiny,” Mr. Johnston said. | “It remains to be seen how he will withstand close scrutiny,” Mr. Johnston said. |
| Mr. Franks said that he disagreed with many of Mr. Harper’s positions and methods, but that it would be a mistake to rule out another Conservative victory. | Mr. Franks said that he disagreed with many of Mr. Harper’s positions and methods, but that it would be a mistake to rule out another Conservative victory. |
| “I have an immense respect for Harper because he is just a really canny politician,” Mr. Franks said. “He knows what he wants and he gets it.” | “I have an immense respect for Harper because he is just a really canny politician,” Mr. Franks said. “He knows what he wants and he gets it.” |