Liberal Leader Stephane Dion criticizes Stephen Harper's election hints

"I've always known that a man who doesn't respect Parliament could disrespect his own law and could go see the Governor General at any moment to call an election," he told a news conference.

"That's why I've always told my party to be ready for an election at any time."

Dion was responding to recent hints by the prime minister that he may trigger an election this autumn, even though his government passed legislation that set a fixed election date, with the next vote scheduled for October 2009.

Opinion polls suggest no clear winner should an election be held this autumn.

Dion said that is simply motivation to work harder.

"I'm not telling you we'll take for granted we will win," he said.

Dion added the Liberals will work "to win the hearts and minds of Canadians in appealing to their noble sentiments and to their positive will to do the right thing. He said the Liberals won't resort to "the negative, nasty approach of the Conservative party and their current leader."

The Liberal leader was campaigning in and around Montreal for two byelections to be held in the area on Sept. 8.

He said winning them is his current priority.

"I don't see why we would decide on an election today when we have byelections to win," he told The Canadian Press.

Dion also criticized the Harper government's policy on arts and culture.

The Conservatives recently cancelled a $4.5-million cultural arts program meant to promote Canadian culture abroad and announced cuts to a $9-million heritage program that helps Canadian cultural programs sell their products internationally.

Dion linked funding for arts and culture to Canada's success in the 21st-century knowledge-and creativity-based economy.

He called the recent cuts "wrong for a country that wants to succeed and to have a sustainable development."

He also promised to defeat Bill C-10, which would allow the government to deny funding for films and television shows it deemed offensive, calling it an attack on the freedom of arts and culture in Canada.

"It is very clear we cannot support his bill the way it is," he said.

And as Dion tours the country promoting his so-called Green Shift, a climate-change plan that would impose a carbon tax on fossil fuels, offset by income-and business-tax cuts and tax benefits, he continued to tease Canadians about the possibility of a fall election.

"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."