The conservative government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper fell this afternoon in a vote of no confidence. Taking only about twelve minutes, the votes cast against Harper - 156 opposition MPs – all of the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloquistes present in the House of Commons – rose to support a motion of no-confidence.
An election will be called after Harper speaks to the Governor General tomorrow. An election should be scheduled May 2nd or May 9th.
Harper did not take questions after the vote.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff spoke post vote. From the Globe and Mail:
Shortly after 10 a.m., Mr. Ignatieff rose to “inform the House that the official opposition has lost confidence in the government.”
For the first time in Canadian history, he said, a committee of Parliament has found a government to be in contempt.
“We are the people’s representatives,” Mr. Ignatieff said. “When the government spends money, the people have a right to know what it is to be spent on. Parliament does not issue blank cheques.”
This week, the opposition-dominated procedure and House affairs committee found the government to be in contempt for failing to release information related to the costs of crime legislation and the purchase of stealth fighter jets.
“For four months, this House and the Canadian people were being stonewalled by this government and they are being stonewalled still,” Mr. Ignatieff said.
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