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For the second time in just over a year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper temporarily shut down Parliament on Wednesday The anticipation is that Harper will call an election shortly after parliament returns in March.

While recent polls have not put the Conservatives decisively ahead, they have shown that the Liberals, the main opposition party, are flagging. Analysts contend that if the Liberals continue to decline and the Conservatives can use the Olympics to their political advantage, Mr. Harper will again shut down Parliament shortly after it resumes in March and hold an election.