OTTAWA, Nov. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Canada's opposition leaders said Tuesday they still want a formal vote on an early January election call despite the Liberal minority government's rejection of the idea.

    The New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jack Layton told reporters that he wants a formal vote by the House of Commons on his proposal,which will be introduced on Thursday.

    "That to me is a very important moment, because then Mr. (PrimeMinister Paul) Martin...will have to explain to Canadians why he would turn his back on a majority of parliamentarians," he said.

    If the government refuses to abide by the demand, then the government would be defeated sometime next week by a confidence vote, Conservative deputy leader Peter MacKay said.

    The likely dates of such a vote are Nov. 22 or 24 or even 29. An election date of either Jan. 9 or 16 is being bandied about, although the situation is very much in flux, analysts say.

    Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Paul Martin stood firmly by hisdecision to reject the opposition ultimatum to call an election inearly January.

    He insisted that he wished to remain focused on governing.

    "I do not want to have a Christmas election, I want to govern,"Martin told reporters on Parliament Hill.

    "We have an enormous amount of legislation, very important legislation for Canadians that we want to get through. But the rules of Parliament are clear, you either have confidence or you don't have confidence."

    Martin has said he will call an election within 30 days of the second report on the sponsorship scandal being tabled in February.

    The initial report, released Nov.1, found former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his government responsible for the mishandling of millions of Canadian dollars appropriated for promoting federal image in separatist Quebec.

    Although Martin, who was Chretien's Finance Minister, was exonerated from the case, opposition parties have been united in demanding him to step down, stressing that the Liberals have lost the moral authority to govern.

    The three parties, the NDP, the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois,on Sunday agreed to urge the government to call an early election,rather than waiting until the final sponsorship report as Martin has planned.

    The Liberals should call an election in January or it would face a confidence motion, leading to an election campaign during the Christmas season and a voting in early January, the oppositions said. Enditem