Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin is applauded after Martin's government was defeated by a no-confidence motion in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Monday Nov. 28, 2005. (Photo: Xinhua)

    OTTAWA, Nov. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Canadians are facing the first winter federal election in 26 years after Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal minority government was toppled in a non-confidence motion Monday by united efforts from three opposition parties.

    The Conservatives, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Bloc Quebecois banded together in forcing the Liberals down, claiming that it has lost the moral authority to rule after being proven of misusing millions of dollars in an advertising campaign during former Prime Minister Jean Chretien's rule.

    Martin, who first assumed power in December 2003, has come through a tough time marked by several motions of non-confidence which he survived, sometimes narrowly, and a snap election in June 2004, which saw him out to become a minority government leader from a majority one.

    At the center of all these political upheavals is the federal sponsorship scandal, which came out in early 2004 and sparked widespread discontent towards the Liberal government, whose supporting rate once dropped to the lowest point in the last decade.

    In February 2004, Auditor General Sheila Fraser released her audit of the federal sponsorship program, asserting that about 100 million Canadian dollars (85 million US dollars) appropriated in 1993 for a national unity program in the French speaking province of Quebec were misused, with the sum going to Liberal-connected companies for little or no work.

    Martin, who ordered an extensive investigation into the case, has repeatedly promised to call an election 30 days after the second report comes out in February next year.

::::::	Canadians head for winter election as govt falls
::::::	Paul Martin to call for new election Tuesday
::::::	Canadian govt defeated in non-confidence vote

    Although the first report, unveiled earlier this month, put most blame on Chretien and exonerated Martin of any wrongdoing, the opposition has decided to grasp this opportunity to bring the government down.

    Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper tabled the non-confidence motion following Martin's refusal to the opposition demands to dissolve the 38th parliament in January and hold election in mid-February.

    The Liberals have lost their moral authority to lead the nation,and the house has lost confidence in the government, claimed the Conservatives, who got support from the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP.

    The NDP's backing helped Martin survive a non-confidence motionby a single vote in May, but the party withdrew that support earlier this month.

    The motion was approved by a vote of 171 to 133. The Liberals now hold 133 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons. The Conservatives have 98, the Bloc Quebecois, 53, and the New Democrats, 18.

    There are four independent legislators and two vacant seats in the House of Commons.

    On Tuesday, Martin is expected to ask Governor General Michaelle Jean to dismiss the parliament and call an election, which may be set on Jan. 16 or 23.

    Although Canadians are hoping for a more stable majority government, recent polls show that most of them expect a minority one, with Liberals having a better chance to win.

    A Pollara poll released on Monday showed public support for the Liberals at 36 percent, compared with 31 percent for the Conservatives. Parties typically need to win more than 40 percent of the vote to gain majorities in parliament.

    Because Canadian parties do not form coalitions, minority administrations need opposition backing for passage of laws. Another informal alliance between the Liberals and the NDP may be the most likely outcome in the January vote, observers said.

    Minority governments have lasted an average 16 months in Canada.Concerned about the adverse effects of a shaky minority government, observers pointed out that a future Liberal prime minister's ability may be impaired to pass corporate tax cuts, open up regulated industries to foreign ownership or allow lenders such as Royal Bank of Canada to merge.

    "There are never any fiscal merits to a minority government," said Michael Behiels, a historian and constitutional expert of the University of Ottawa. "Minority governments tend to spend, spend, spend."

    Martin's government was forced to raise spending and shelve corporate tax cuts to win the NDP's backing to stay in power.

    In 2004, Martin raised spending by 15 percent, the largest increase in 20 years, and repealed a tax-cut package for corporations that had initially been included in this year's budget. Enditem

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