Beleaguered Prime Minister Harper should learnhis fate in the new year. (Getty Images)Stephen Harper will remain Prime Minister of Canada and the minority Conservative government will continue to rule, at least until late January.
Harper met with Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean Dec. 4 and successfully proposed proroguing the House of Commons until Jan. 26. A fast-tracked federal budget is expected Jan. 27.
Jean's decision means a confidence vote will not happen Dec. 8. The Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois parties agreed on Monday to form a coalition headed by Liberal leader Stephane Dion to defeat the Conservatives. They could still vote against the budget and force Jean to allow them to form government.
The Conservatives failed to win a majority in the Oct. 14 federal election.
The three federal appointees to the VANOC board will remain, along with the continuing mystery over the budget for securing the 2010 Games. It was pegged at somewhere between $309 million and $775 million by ex-public safety minister Stockwell Day, who said more information would be disclosed by November.
With reporting from
Bob Mackin in Vancouver.
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