By asking Governor-General Michaelle Jean to cancel her plans to leave for China Sept. 5, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has issued the most poignant sign that he will make an election call next week. That would likely set voting day for mid-October.

That means Ms. Jean will be available to fulfill her role, if required, in granting Mr. Harper's request to dissolve Parliament. The call is expected as early as Sept. 2. Ms. Jean could also reject the request.

Regardless of political leanings, it's hard to argue the upcoming session of Parliament would be anything more than a circus of dysfunction. With political rhetoric at an all-time high over the summer months, only a fool would believe the current government could survive a non-confidence vote until the fixed election date set by Mr. Harper of October 2009.

The Liberals seem to be wary of a snap election, preferring to wait for polling numbers in the party's favour before triggering a vote. The Liberal finger has been on the trigger for almost a year now.

In the face of uncertain economic times, Canadians require a government with a mandate that can survive the bumpy road ahead.

For the Liberals to pretend they don't support a fall election is disingenuous. In early August, Liberal MP Bob Rae said his party was in a good position to head to the polls this fall.

"The issues are increasingly coming together and the differences between the Liberals and the Conservatives are very clear for everyone to see," said Rae, citing an earlier remark by Liberal Leader Stephane Dion. "The choice for Canadians is becoming increasingly apparent and it's really just a matter of time."

Since winning a minority government in 2006, the Harper Conservatives have been allowed to move forward with an agenda thanks in large part to a Liberal opposition more concerned about popularity polls than what is right for the country. This agenda was scheduled to run its course until October 2009.

Promising a new style of government, the Conservatives have sunk into the quagmire of scandals over election spending, the alleged attempt to bribe the late independent MP Chuck Cadman and the firing of former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier in the Julie Couillard affair.

What Canada needs more than ever is a Parliament that works. Whether minority or majority, this country needs direction. New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe have advocated strongly for an immediate election. Both parties have also been consistent in opposing the Conservative agenda, unlike the Liberals who have propped up the Harper government while waiting for their freshman leader to find his footing and warm up to Canadian voters.

The fact Mr. Dion is dragging his feet on next week's election call could be viewed as a sign he's not ready to step up to prime time.

His "Green Shift" carbon tax plan clearly distinguishes the Liberal approach to climate change from the Conservatives, and was announced as a precursor to an expected election campaign.

While campaigning in Montreal this week, Mr. Dion responded to a question about his repeated threats to trigger an election this fall.

"All I said was, we'll see in the fall," he said."It's up to us, up to me, to choose our moment, and in politics it's important to choose the right moment."

With a Parliament paralyzed with political posturing on all sides, an economy on the brink of recession, a country at war in Afghanistan, soaring energy costs and security, and mounting environmental concerns, "the right moment" should be when it's right for the country, not the party and its leader. Canadians want Parliament to work. That's why they elected a minority government.

Too often politicians seem to forget that government exists for its constituency, not partisan ideology. This election is about political power, and who holds it.

Canadians seem content to let this Parliament run the full course. Unfortunately, that ride appears to be over and the election train is full steam ahead.