Canada's small New Democratic Party (NDP) said on Monday it will withdraw its support for the minority Liberal government in future no-confidence vote, raising the chances of a Christmas election.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said his party will not support the Liberal government in any new non-confidence vote as he rejected a Liberal proposal to protect public health.

"What the government is proposing is unacceptable. There's no basis for our party to express confidence in this government," said Layton in Toronto in a televised speech.

"We cannot express confidence in a government that is under the leadership of a party that cannot be trusted to clean up the politics that it tainted," he said.

The time to let Canadians judge the Liberals is approaching " sooner, not later," said Layton, who, however, did not give any further indication of a time frame.

According to local media reports, since the Parliament is in recess this week, a non-confidence vote is possible as early as the week of Nov. 14, although some speculate a vote might not happen until Dec. 8, when an estimates vote is to be held.

If the government is defeated at the earliest possible time, a vote could be scheduled for Dec. 27. If the government fell on Dec. 8, a vote would likely take place in mid-January, the reports said Sunday.

Layton had said his decision whether to support the Liberals in a future confidence vote rested on the Liberal response to an NDP call for increased protections for public health care.

Last week, Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh provided Layton with a proposal on promoting public health care, which was criticized by Layton as "disappointing" Friday. Layton said on that day he would consider the proposal carefully over the weekend.

The Health Minister reacted to Layton's Monday speech by saying that "I'm actually disappointed that Jack Layton is playing politics with some very important issues in health care."

"Mr. Layton has made general comments, but not once has he said what specific change he'd like to see to this package that will strengthen public health care," the minister said.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who spoke moments after Layton's speech, said he believes the NDP leader still has not made up his mind and is still negotiating with the Liberals.

"It's the same soap opera. We will continue to assume that Mr. Layton is still bargaining with the Liberal government," said Harper.

The Tory leader said his party will not introduce a confidence motion before Christmas because he does not believe Layton will follow through with a three-party opposition attack.

As for the Bloc Quebecois, leader Gilles Duceppe said Monday that the Liberals can not count on his party to keep them in power.

He said it was up to the NDP and the Conservatives to take action and that the Bloc would go along with whatever they decided.

The leftist New Democrats have been the only group keeping the minority Liberal government in power. Layton propped up the Liberals in a budget vote in May after reaching a deal worth 4.6 billion Canadian dollars (3.7 billion US dollars) in extra spending.

Last week, Justice John Gomery's report laid blame for the flawed running of the sponsorship program with the government of former prime minister Jean Chretien.

While the report cleared Martin of blame in the mismanagement of the 332-million-Canadian-dollar (256 million US dollars) program, all three opposition leaders blasted the Liberal party as riddled with corruption.

Martin has promised to call an election within 30 days after the final sponsorship report is delivered on Feb. 1.

Source: Xinhua