Martin on defensive as polls show minority Liberals in trouble with voters
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MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin warned Saturday that an early election would derail progress on everything from aboriginal poverty to medical wait times.
He was on the defensive after taking part in a chaotic Summit of the Americas, as polls show his minority Liberals are in trouble with voters.
Martin recited a list of social causes that will be jeopardized if his political rivals move in for the electoral kill.
"Here we are down here talking about poverty," he said as the two-day meeting of 34 leaders from North, South and Central America wrapped up in this coastal resort town.
"We've got huge poverty at home in terms of our aboriginals."
"And this is, I believe, our best chance of really making a significant difference. I don't think anybody wants to see that first ministers meeting effectively cut off by a premature election."
Progress on climate change, medical wait times and an important round of international trade talks in December would also be jeopardized, Martin said.
Two polls since the Gomery report last week into the sponsorship scandal suggest Liberal support has taken a hit. One survey puts the Conservatives slightly ahead of the Liberals for the first time since the spring.
Thirty-one per cent of respondents to the Strategic Counsel poll done for the Globe and Mail said they'd vote for the Tories compared to 30 per cent for the Liberals.
NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose support is crucial to stabilizing Martin's government, is pressuring the prime minister to curb privatization of the public health care system.
Layton said Friday he was "disappointed" by the Liberals' most recent proposal to strengthen medicare.
But the NDP leader, who can't seem to sway more than 20 per cent of voters, stopped short of saying he'll join a Conservative-Bloc Quebecois push to force an early federal election.
A confidence vote that could bring down the government is expected Nov. 15.
Martin has promised to call an election within 30 days of Gomery's final report expected Feb 1. It will recommend action to help prevent another scandal similar to the sponsorship debacle.
"I think Canadians are entitled to know where each of the political parties stand on the recommendations that Mr. Justice Gomery's going to make," Martin said.
©The Canadian Press, 2005
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MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin warned Saturday that an early election would derail progress on everything from aboriginal poverty to medical wait times.
He was on the defensive after taking part in a chaotic Summit of the Americas, as polls show his minority Liberals are in trouble with voters.
Martin recited a list of social causes that will be jeopardized if his political rivals move in for the electoral kill.
"Here we are down here talking about poverty," he said as the two-day meeting of 34 leaders from North, South and Central America wrapped up in this coastal resort town.
"We've got huge poverty at home in terms of our aboriginals."
"And this is, I believe, our best chance of really making a significant difference. I don't think anybody wants to see that first ministers meeting effectively cut off by a premature election."
Progress on climate change, medical wait times and an important round of international trade talks in December would also be jeopardized, Martin said.
Two polls since the Gomery report last week into the sponsorship scandal suggest Liberal support has taken a hit. One survey puts the Conservatives slightly ahead of the Liberals for the first time since the spring.
Thirty-one per cent of respondents to the Strategic Counsel poll done for the Globe and Mail said they'd vote for the Tories compared to 30 per cent for the Liberals.
NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose support is crucial to stabilizing Martin's government, is pressuring the prime minister to curb privatization of the public health care system.
Layton said Friday he was "disappointed" by the Liberals' most recent proposal to strengthen medicare.
But the NDP leader, who can't seem to sway more than 20 per cent of voters, stopped short of saying he'll join a Conservative-Bloc Quebecois push to force an early federal election.
A confidence vote that could bring down the government is expected Nov. 15.
Martin has promised to call an election within 30 days of Gomery's final report expected Feb 1. It will recommend action to help prevent another scandal similar to the sponsorship debacle.
"I think Canadians are entitled to know where each of the political parties stand on the recommendations that Mr. Justice Gomery's going to make," Martin said.
©The Canadian Press, 2005
