Canadian government slams opposition "coup" plan

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By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's newly re-elected minority Conservative government on Tuesday attacked opposition parties, saying their formal agreement to take power showed they were twisting the rules of democracy.

The Liberals, New Democrats and separatist Bloc Quebecois signed an unprecedented deal on Monday to bring down Prime Minister Stephen Harper and create a coalition government that would keep them in power until at least June 30, 2010.

The opposition, which says Harper is not doing enough to tackle the financial crisis, has its eyes set on a confidence motion due for a vote in Parliament next Monday.

"It used to be in Canadian politics that you had to win an election in order to become the prime minister of this country," Heritage Minister James Moore told CTV television.

Natural Resources Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn on Monday called the opposition deal "a coup d'etat." Harper's government won a strengthened minority in an Oct 14 election.

Moore said the Liberals and the New Democrats had "lied to Canadians" during the campaign when they promised not to form a coalition.

"Now they're entering into an agreement, giving the balance of power to Quebec separatists and Canadians are rightly outraged by this ... it's not what Canadians voted for."

The Bloc wants independence for French-speaking Quebec but said on Monday this aim was trumped for now by the crisis.

The parties promised a major stimulus package as well as help for the struggling auto industry.

The opposition parties said the new prime minister would be Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who led his party to such a bad defeat on October 14 that he has promised to step down once members choose a replacement in May.

Harper, facing the worst crisis since winning power in January 2006, could temporarily suspend parliament until a budget the government has promised for January 27.

Asked whether Ottawa should do this, Moore replied, "Well, let's see."

Alternatively, Harper could let the confidence vote go ahead and run a big risk of losing.

CTV television quoted Harper as telling a private meeting of Conservatives on Monday evening that he would take every legal option possible to stop what he called an "affront to Canadian democracy."

The three opposition parties are also angry that Harper last week tried to eliminate public financing for political parties, a move that would hit them particularly hard.

The Globe and Mail newspaper said the Conservatives were planning rallies across the country this weekend and said Harper could make a nationwide address in the coming days.

The paper, which endorsed Harper in the election, ran a lead article savaging what it called his "horrendous miscalculations" and suggested he consider quitting.

It also said Dion was "a humbled and defeated party leader ... (who) has never earned the right to govern".

The uncertainty helped push down the Canadian dollar by 0.5 percent against its U.S. counterpart on Monday. It also angered prominent political and financial figures.

"Put Canada first and stop the nonsense," said Ed Stelmach, premier of the oil-producing western province of Alberta.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren)

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