Ottawa - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Sunday called early parliamentary elections for October 14.

Harper met Sunday with country's governor general, Michaelle Jean, to formally request the dissolution of parliament.

It will be Canada's third national election in slightly more than four years. The next regular elections had been scheduled for the autumn of 2009.

Harper said his Conservative minority government could no longer work with a split parliament and needed a new mandate from the electorate.

Harper came to power in 2006 after a vote of confidence toppled the liberal minority government of Prime Minister Paul Martin. (dpa)