Prime Minister Stephen Harper is telling fellow Conservatives to be ready-for-action for an election that could come "at any time."

"We are here to plan," said Harper on Saturday night as he rallied 5,000 Conservative party members in Toronto. "Plan for a future that could include an election . . . An election that the opposition could impose on Canadians at any time."

Harper's rousing speech trumpeted the government's accomplishments of the past year, and painted his party as champions of the average Canadian.

"Never lose sight of what we are and who we serve: Canadian families and Canadian taxpayers," he told the party faithful.

He described the middle as being made up of "hard-working people who didn't have the time to stage protests or the money to hire lobbyists."

They are as "the quiet people you don't see on the nightly news ... Canadians in the broad middle, Canadians who for far too long were ignored by the political process. Canadians see them, Conservatives see them, Conservatives hear them -- Conservatives are them."

Harper went on to say that Canada's international role is becoming ever more pivotal and Canada needs to continue to establish itself as a "principled voice on the world stage."

"For Canada to make its presence felt, we need adequate resources, consistent commitment and principled leadership. On all three counts we are delivering," he said.

He added, "Whether the issue is Kyoto or Kandahar, or relations with the state of Israel or with the members of NATO, no longer can Canada afford to sign international commitments it will not keep."

Over thunderous applause, Harper later addressed the war in Afghanistan by saying the Canadian Forces was plagued by an "academic fixation on soft power" and archaic equipment.

Harper was speaking to a "candidate's school," held to train nominees and volunteers in the basics of running an election campaign. While the party held it in Toronto, Conservatives didn't win one seat in Canada's largest city in the Jan. 23, 2006 federal election.

There has been much speculation of late about a spring vote, with some suggesting it could be triggered by Monday's budget.

The prime minister said he didn't want an election, but was "ready and willing" to fight one on his government's record.

He characterized the previous Liberal government's record as one of "flip-flops, scandals and empty rhetoric."

Any votes on budgets are matters of confidence in the government. If the opposition votes down the budget, an election will be triggered.

To do so, all three opposition parties would have to vote against the budget.

Harper played on the festive nature of St. Patrick's Day by comparing the Conservative party's defeat of the Liberals to St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland.