2005年NPR美国国家公共电台四月-Scandal-plagued Canadian PM Calls for Ele

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Canada's prime minister went on National Television last night to say there would be an election early next year. Paul Martin is responding to a political scandal as Richard Reynolds reports.

The scandal that threatens Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal Party government has been brewing¹ for years, but the past few weeks have seen a series of fresh and very damaging allegations that government money is used to pay for political operatives. All three opposition² political parties have already said that it's time for an election, just ten months after Canada's last election. Martin does not have a majority in Parliament, so it seems likely that some time in May the government will fall in a non-confidence vote in Parliament. So Martin's promise to call an election early next year is likely moot³. Martin also pledged that his party would repay any money paid by the government illegally which could total tens of millions of dollars.

For NPR News, I'm Richard Reynolds.