In quotes: PM, party leaders comment on looming election

Opposition MPs toppled the Conservatives Friday afternoon by voting 156-145 in favour of a Liberal non-confidence motion that cited the government for contempt of Parliament.

After the vote, all the main party leaders took their place at the microphone. Here are some of the highlights from the early election rhetoric.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

“The budget tabled this week is critically important to complete the economic recovery … There is nothing – absolutely nothing – in the budget that the opposition could not or should not support.”

“Unfortunately Michael Ignatieff and his coalition partners in the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois made it abundantly clear they already wanted to force an election.”

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff:

“All this talk about the coalition is a smokescreen … I’m here to create a Liberal alternative. If you vote for the NDP, if you vote for the Greens, if you vote for the Bloc, you will get more of this, more contempt for democracy.”

“If you want to replace the Harper government, you’ve got to vote Liberal.”

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe:

“Harper wanted an election. He spent $26 million campaigning with taxpayers’ money. If he didn’t want an election, he was hiding that very well.”

NDP Leader Jack Layton:

“Sadly, Mr. Harper has demonstrated that he and his Conservatives have no interest in working with the other parties.”

“Our goal is to replace the Harper Conservative government, which we think has been taking the country down the wrong path … The old ways need to go. We need a new politics in Canada.”