Canadian government survives confidence vote

The minority government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper easily survived on Thursday the first of three confidence votes on its legislative programme. The Conservative government is expected to overcome the votes as the Liberal Party, the main opposition party, said Wednesday it would not vote against Harper's agenda, ruling out a third election in four years.
To survive a confidence vote, Harper's minority government must have the support of at least one of Canada's three opposition parties. The Conservatives hold 126 seats in the House of Commons, followed by the centrist Liberals with 96 seats, the Bloc Quebecois with 49 seats and the New Democrats with 30. Thursday's confidence vote, an amendment introduced by the Bloc Quebecois, was rejected 240-48. Two other votes are planned for Monday and Wednesday.