2005年NPR美国国家公共电台四月-Scandal-plagued Canadian PM Calls for Ele(在线收听

Canada's prime minister went on National Television last night to say there would be an election early next year. Paul Martin is responding to a political scandal as Richard Reynolds reports.

The scandal that threatens Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal Party government has been brewing for years, but the past few weeks have seen a series of fresh and very damaging allegations that government money is used to pay for political operatives. All three opposition political parties have already said that it's time for an election, just ten months after Canada's last election. Martin does not have a majority in Parliament, so it seems likely that some time in May the government will fall in a non-confidence vote in Parliament. So Martin's promise to call an election early next year is likely moot. Martin also pledged that his party would repay any money paid by the government illegally which could total tens of millions of dollars.

For NPR News, I'm Richard Reynolds.
  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/NPR2005/40545.html