Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper dissolved Parliament on Sunday and called an early election for next month in hopes of strengthening his Conservative minority government's hold on power.

"Between now and October 14, Canadians will choose a government to look out for their interests at a time of global economic trouble. They will choose between clear direction or uncertainty, between common sense or risky experiments, between steadiness or recklessness."

Harper's party needs to win an additional 28 seats to have a majority in Parliament. Although Harper has played down that possibility, polls in recent days indicate his right-of-centre party has a chance to do so.

The October 14th election will be Canada's third ballot in four years.

Harper's minority Conservative government came to power in the January 2006 election following 12 straight years of Liberal rule. With only 127 seats in the 308-seat Parliament, it was Canada's longest parliamentary minority since the 1920s.