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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Canada set for credit crunch poll | Canada set for credit crunch poll |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Canada is holding its third general election in four years, with the global financial crisis looming over the poll. | Canada is holding its third general election in four years, with the global financial crisis looming over the poll. |
| Conservative PM Stephen Harper, who has headed a minority government since 2006, called the snap poll in a bid to secure a majority in parliament. | Conservative PM Stephen Harper, who has headed a minority government since 2006, called the snap poll in a bid to secure a majority in parliament. |
| Opinion polls suggest his party is on course to win but without a majority. | Opinion polls suggest his party is on course to win but without a majority. |
| The main challenge comes from the official opposition, the Liberals led by Stephane Dion. The first polls open at 0830 local time (1100 GMT). | The main challenge comes from the official opposition, the Liberals led by Stephane Dion. The first polls open at 0830 local time (1100 GMT). |
| Voting concludes on Canada's Pacific coast at 0200 GMT on Wednesday, with results expected shortly after that. | Voting concludes on Canada's Pacific coast at 0200 GMT on Wednesday, with results expected shortly after that. |
| Voter surveys have suggested market turmoil may have derailed Mr Harper's hopes of securing a majority, the BBC's Lee Carter reports from Toronto. | Voter surveys have suggested market turmoil may have derailed Mr Harper's hopes of securing a majority, the BBC's Lee Carter reports from Toronto. |
| Canada is the first big economic power to go to the polls to elect a new government since the financial crisis. | Canada is the first big economic power to go to the polls to elect a new government since the financial crisis. |
| Mr Harper called the election last month amid hopes in his party that they could secure a majority. | Mr Harper called the election last month amid hopes in his party that they could secure a majority. |
| But he was criticised during the campaign for not showing enough empathy with Canadians who have lost money during the upheaval on the stock markets. | |
| Mr Harper's main rival, Liberal leader Stephane Dion, has been promoting an ambitious green carbon tax plan. | Mr Harper's main rival, Liberal leader Stephane Dion, has been promoting an ambitious green carbon tax plan. |
| But Mr Dion, a French Canadian from Quebec, has had difficulty connecting with voters, our correspondent says. | But Mr Dion, a French Canadian from Quebec, has had difficulty connecting with voters, our correspondent says. |
| This could lead to a split of votes between the opposition, the Liberals and two smaller parties, the New Democrats and the Greens. | This could lead to a split of votes between the opposition, the Liberals and two smaller parties, the New Democrats and the Greens. |
| The Bloc Quebecois is set for a close battle to retain its dominance in French-speaking Quebec. | The Bloc Quebecois is set for a close battle to retain its dominance in French-speaking Quebec. |