Harper makes last push for his fate

Canada's prime minister asked yesterday to suspend Parliament in an unprecedented effort to delay a vote that could bring down his new government less than two months after he won re-election.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Governor-General Michaelle Jean in the morning to discuss the political crisis caused in part by dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy, and made his request, a senior official from his office said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because Harper has yet to talk publicly, did not say if the governor-general had agreed to it.