Canadians may have to add an election to their busy fall schedule after Prime Minister Stephen Harper continued to indicate he may dissolve Parliament next month.

During a campaign-style swing through Hamilton Aug. 19, which was strictly managed and under the watchful eye of an abundance of security people, Mr. Harper said he will "analyze" the need to call an election.

"What I will have to decide over the next few weeks is whether or not we can have a productive fall session of Parliament or whether in fact the government needs a new mandate," he said during a question-and-answer session with reporters at Hamilton General Hospital.

Mr. Harper, who was making his first appearance as prime minister in Hamilton, said towards the end of the last Parliament session it had "stalled." He said the three opposition parties, including Liberal leader Stphane Dion, have stated they want to bring down the government.

"Mr. Dion has indicated he wants the government defeated, but he doesn't know when he will do that," said Mr. Harper. "(The opposition parties) have no intention of respecting a fixed election date. So, I think obviously, we're going to have to judge how the parliamentary agenda is unfolding."

Last week Liberal MP and the party's foreign affairs critic, Bob Rae, said in an interview he isn't putting any pressure on Mr. Dion to call a fall election.

"We are not pushing for an election," he said. "It's up to the legislature."

Still, Mr. Rae remained confident that if an election is called, the Liberals could defeat the Conservatives in Ontario and the rest of Canada.

"I'm not interesting in yapping at (Mr. Harper's) heels," said Mr. Rae. "I want Stephane Dion to replace Harper."

Mr. Harper said while New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe want an immediate election, Mr. Dion is being guided by the latest polling results, which suggest a minority government if an election was called this fall.

The poll, conducted by Canwest News Service and Global National and released Aug. 18, revealed the Conservatives had 36 per cent of the vote, the Liberals 30 per cent, the NDP at 14 per cent and the Green party at 10 per cent. Six per cent of people surveyed were undecided.

After the hospital funding announcement, Mr. Harper joined other local dignitaries at Hamilton's Dieppe memorial on the Beach strip to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the raid.

Conservative MP Mr. Sweet, who represents Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, said any potential election call will be left at the disposal of the opposition parties and Mr. Dion.

"We have the fixed (election) date (Oct. 9, 2009). If Mr. Dion makes the decision (and) sticks with his threat, we can be in an election when we get back," said Mr. Sweet. "We are in a minority government. Anything can happen."

Parliament is set to begin on Sept. 15.

Mr. Sweet said when talking to residents during the recent Dundas Cactus Festival, he found no one eager for an election.

"People were happy for Canada," he said. "Nobody indicated they were concerned or not."

When asked about the Conservative Party's chances in an election in a decidedly non-traditional Conservative area as Hamilton, Mr. Harper was measured in his response.

"Time will tell," said Mr. Harper. "I remain optimistic. We have good people."

The Conservatives hold two suburban areas in Niagara West-Glanbrook where MP Dean Allison represents, and Mr. Sweet in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. Conservatives have not done well in the Hamilton Centre, Hamilton Mountain, and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek ridings.