SUDBURY, Ont. — Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff on Wednesday ruled out negotiations with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to avert a potential fall election after postponing a Sept. 6-9 trip to China.
At a news conference, he said he wants to stay in Canada for now because Harper, New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe all "have cards to play" in the wake of his announced plan to try to defeat the government soon after Parliament resumes.
The Liberals would need the support of the NDP and the Bloc to defeat the minority Conservatives in a non-confidence vote in the House of Commons in early October. Ignatieff wants to see what they intend to do.
In Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Harper said he has not seen any signs that the NDP or other opposition parties want to work with his government to prevent an election. But he said he was hoping that Parliament would be able to finalize an incentive program for home renovations and other economic measures introduced in the last budget.
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