OTTAWA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Canada's Liberal Prime Minister PaulMartin resigned officially Monday to clear the way for Conservative Stephen Harper to be sworn in as the country's 22nd prime minister.

    Martin filed his resignation during a brief meeting with Governor General Michaelle Jean at Rideau Hall, the Gov. Gen.'s official residence.

    The Liberals were defeated in Jan. 23's general vote winning only 103 seats compared with the 124 seats for the Conservatives.

    Martin first became prime minister in December 2003 when he succeeded Jean Chretien as leader of the Liberal Party. He won the general election in June 2004 to maintain that position, but was toppled in November 2005 through a motion of non-confidence over a sponsorship scandal involving the former Liberal government during the 1990s.

    Stephen Harper will be sworn later Monday with a cabinet expected to be much smaller than the outgoing Liberal one. He will be holding the reins of the first Tory government in more than 12 years. Enditem