Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the first major world leader to face voters since the global financial meltdown, led his Conservative Party to victory in Tuesday's election but fell short of a majority in Parliament, Associated Press reported. The election agency reported on its Web site that the Conservatives had won or were leading in races for 143 of Parliament's 308 seats, an improvement over the 127 seats the party had in the previous Parliament. But with nearly all the returns in early Wednesday, it was clear the Conservative Party would not win the 155 seats needed to govern on its own. That would force it to again rely on opposition support to pass budgets and legislation _ as it has had to do since a 2006 election victory. Harper had called elections early in hopes of getting his party a majority, but the Conservatives sought to put a good face on the results, pointing to their increased number of seats. «Our party is bigger, our support base is broader and more and more Canadians are finding a home in the Conservative Party of Canada,» Harper said early Wednesday. «We have shown that minority government can work and at this time of global economic instability we owe it to Canadians to demonstrate this once again.» The Liberal Party, long Canada's top party, suffered a severe drubbing, dropping to 76 seats from 95 in the previous Parliament, according to the election agency. Bloc Quebecois led for 50 seats, the New Democrats for 37 and independent candidates 2. Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion conceded to Harper earlier Wednesday. «I have talked to Prime Minister Harper to offer him congratulations and my full cooperation in these difficult economic times,» Dion said.
