Harper: Throne Speech vital for his party

OTTAWA, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper said that the upcoming Throne Speech is being viewed as a confidence vote by his Conservative Party.

Speaking this week in Winnipeg, Harper said the Throne Speech, in which he will outline his agenda for Parliament, won't only serve as a confidence vote for his political party but could help resurrect a series of crime bills introduced by Canadian conservatives, The Globe and Mail said Friday.

"We want to see those things passed and we view the Throne Speech as a matter of confidence in terms of passing those initiatives," Harper said Thursday.

The newspaper said that Harper appeared to indicate that if the Throne Speech is approved on Oct. 16, opposition parties would be forced to offer their support or force a national election.

Meanwhile, Conservative Party organizers said they have been ordered to canvass their constituents immediately and have their election offices prepared for an Oct. 20 opening.

The federal organizers also said that they have been informed by campaign chairman Doug Finley that other political parties will likely find certain aspects of the Throne Speech unacceptable.