Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper talks with reporters at a news conference in Calgary, Alberta, yesterday. Harper's Conservative Party won a minority in Tuesday's federal election. - AP Photo

OTTAWA (AP):

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday he would meet with European Union (EU) leaders to discuss economic issues and released an economic plan one day after his Conservative Party won re-election but fell short of a parliamentary majority.

The results in Tuesday's election indicated that Harper was hurt by a slow response to the global financial meltdown. On Wednesday, the prime minister sought to show he would make the economy a priority and introduced a six-point economic plan to address the crisis.

Public spending

"The No. 1 job of the prime minister of Canada is to protect this country's economy, our earnings, our savings, and our jobs, during a time of global economic uncertainty," Harper said. "The mandate we received allows us to continue moving forward."

Harper's plan includes controlling public spending, introducing a fiscal plan before Parliament by the end of November, calling for another meeting of G-7 finance ministers to build on past progress and attending next month's G-20 meeting.

Harper called the early elections last month in hopes of his party winning a majority, and in doing so he became the first major world leader to face voters since the financial crisis.

But the Conservatives fell 12 seats short of the 155 needed to govern on their own and will once again be forced to rely on opposition support to pass budgets and legislation.