OTTAWA, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Canada's ruling Liberal Party reinforced its ranks by one member of parliament on Tuesday after winning a critical by-election in Labrador in eastern Canada that will boost the minority government's chance of holding on to powerin the months ahead, reports reaching here said Wednesday.

    The seat will be key in a fractious Parliament where the Liberals barely survived a do-or-die confidence vote on their budget last week.

    Four cabinet ministers descended on Labrador in the eastern province of Newfoundland over the weekend to campaign for Liberal candidate Todd Russell.

    The main opposition leader Stephen Harper was also in the region the day after the budget vote, with deputy leader of the Conservative Party Peter MacKay not far behind.

    Liberal candidate Russell, former leader of the Labrador Metis Nation, took an early lead Tuesday night and never looked back. With about 90 percent of the polls reporting, Russell held about 50 percent of the votes

    The Liberal win means Prime Minister Paul Martin will have the edge in upcoming votes and a firm say in the timing of the next general election. Enditem