BBC (Friday): Canada PM 'to call early polls'

[Jack Rabbit]

From the BBC Online
Dated Friday April 22 08:43 GMT (1:43 am PDT)

Canada PM 'to call early polls'

Canada's embattled Prime Minister Paul Martin has pledged to call a general election once a corruption inquiry involving his Liberal Party is over.

Investigators in the cash-for-contracts scandal are expected to report their findings in mid-December, meaning a poll would be held in January.

But there are doubts Mr Martin will be able to hold on to power until then.

On Thursday, he apologised for his party's misdemeanours, calling the situation an "unjustifiable mess".

This is not welcome news, but it is not unexpected. The Liberal government is beset by corruption charges. Unfortunately, the main alternative is a Bush stooge.