Canada will have election, opposition leader says

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The head of Canada's main opposition party, speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said on Monday that there would be a general election.

Asked by reporters if there would be an election, Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion replied: "Oh, yes."

Harper, whose Conservative Party won a minority government in January 2006, had asked to meet opposition leaders to see if there was any common ground ahead of Parliament's autumn session. He had suggested that if not, he would seek a fresh mandate.

The leaders of the two other opposition parties, who met Harper last week, said they were convinced he wanted an election, and an adviser to the prime minister has pointed to October 14 as a likely date.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Ted Kerr)