Harper sets fourth federal byelection for September

Balloting is already set for Sept. 8 in three other ridings - Guelph in Ontario and Saint-Lambert and Westmount-Ville Marie in Quebec.

A Harper spokesman said papers were signed for the fourth constituency Sunday.

Don Valley West had been held by long-serving Liberal John Godfrey, who signalled his intention to resign the seat some time ago but didn't make it official until Aug. 1.

There has been speculation that Harper could be gearing up for a general election later in the fall - a possibility that Conservative sources say is still in play.

"This doesn't rule anything out or in," said a senior Tory. "I don't think it changes anything."

The three other byelections had been seen in some quarters as a warm-up for a wider battle to come - although the stakes were arguably higher for Liberal Leader Stephane Dion than for Harper.

The Liberals took Westmount and Guelph as well as Don Valley West in the 2006 election while the Bloc Quebecois took Saint-Lambert.

That means it would be a feather in Harper's cap if he could steal even one of the ridings, while anything less than three out of four would be seen as a setback for Dion.

Harper stoked the campaign fires last week on a visit to Newfoundland and Labrador, complaining that the present House of Commons has become "dysfunctional" and warning that he will "have to make a judgment in the next little while as to whether or not this Parliament can function productively."

The remark was widely interpreted as a hint that Harper, rather than awaiting eventual defeat at the hands of opposition forces, could seize the initiative by going to the Governor General and demand an election.

Harper also took the chance last week to goad Dion once again, as he did throughout the spring parliamentary session, suggesting the only reason the Liberals haven't brought down the minority Conservative government is because they're afraid of the electorate.

"Mr. Dion says he doesn't support the government but won't say whether he will defeat us or not," said Harper. "I don't think that's a tenable situation."

Dion has so far refused to take the bait, insisting he will force an election only when he believes the time is ripe.

The was no immediate comment from the Liberal leader on the addition of a fourth byelection to the political mix Sunday.

But Conservative insiders cautioned against reading too much into the move, saying it had initially been Harper's intention to call all four byelections for the same date.

That plan was scuppered when Godfrey delayed his departure, but the prime minister decided to go ahead once the riding was officially vacant.

"I don't think there's any grand strategy to it," said one Tory source.

Current standings in the 308-seat Commons are: Conservative 127, Liberal 95, Bloc Quebecois 48, NDP 30, Independent 4, vacant 4.