Canada's major opposition party, the Conservative Party, is gaining public support following damaging testimony at the commission of inquiry of a financial scandal that involves some former government officials, it is reported Saturday.

According to polls, Stephen Harper's Conservatives are leading the ruling Liberals in voter support. An survey conducted by Ipsos-Reid company suggests the Conservatives have 36 percent support, while the Liberals trail at 27 percent. While the New Democratic Party were at 15 percent and the Bloc Quebecois followed at 10 percent.

Despite the shift in support, 53 of respondents in the new poll said they do not want an election until after Justice John Gomery of the commission of inquiry releases his report on the sponsorship scandal in the fall.

The spending scandal stemmed from a sponsorship program of 250 million Canadian dollars (about 200 million US dollars) which was carried out in late 1990s when former Prime Minister Jean Chretien was in power to promote Canada and fight separatism in Quebec .

In early 2004 the annual report from Canada's auditor general found there had been a gross misuse of millions of dollars of government money under the sponsorship program. On February 19, 2004, a commission of inquiry into the sponsorship program and Advertising Activities was set up with Justice John H. Gomery named Commissioner.

The scandal, based on a secret program that dates back to the 1990s and the Liberal Party leadership of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, erupted anew on April 8 when a judge probing the alleged misuse of public funds lifted a publication ban on testimony by a Montreal ad executive.

Source: Xinhua