NDP Leader Jack Layton says he'll no longer prop up the Liberal minority government, nudging the unlikely scenario of an election campaign in the holiday season a little closer to reality.

However, in a speech to a Toronto business club, Layton would not say outright whether he would actively work to topple the minority government.

Layton's outrage is over what he calls the Liberals' failure to put the brakes on private health care. He said that if the package presented last week to his party was before Parliament, the NDP would vote against it.

"Unfortunately, for those of us committed to getting things done in this Parliament, and for all of those who were attempting to do so, there is no basis for our party to express confidence in this government," he said. "This Parliament's life is likely limited."

In a hint that an election campaign could be imminent, Layton said Canadians should not have to "wait months" for the opportunity to pass judgment on the Liberals.

However, Layton refused to speculate on the timing.

"There is no need for it to happen," he said of the possibility of a campaign over the winter holiday season. "We will have to see."

Still, Layton indicated there was a chance the Liberals could win NDP support.

"If the prime minister were to make a complete about-face on the issue of health care, I would certainly hear him out, but we see no sign that that is going to happen, whatsoever," Layton told reporters.

"We will have to see how the motions come forward, but as it stands at the moment, if there is a motion of non-confidence on the table at the House, we will not be supporting or indicating confidence in the government," Layton said.

After his speech, however, Layton made it clear his party would vote to bring down the government if a motion of non-confidence is tabled.

Layton had been considering a Liberal offer on controlling private health care in return for NDP votes in any upcoming confidence vote.

Dosanjh responds

Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh told CTV Newsnet on Monday, "I'm actually disappointed that Jack Layton is playing politics with some very important issues in health care."

The federal government is working with the provinces to strengthen public health care by setting treatment benchmarks and reducing wait times, among other things, he said – although he didn't say what the government was doing to curb the growth of private health care.

"Mr. Layton actually voted for Bill C-39, which provided $41 billion to the provinces over the next 10 years. He didn't once talk about additional conditions this last spring," Dosanjh said.

Some additional changes include requiring dedicated funds to be spent in the public sphere and to prevent doctors who provide medically necessary services from practicing in the private sphere as well as the public one, he said.

"Thirdly, we're going to try and gather more specific information on all these issues," Dosanjh said.

"What I'm disappointed about is Mr. Layton has made general comments, but not once has he said what specific change he'd like to see to this package that will strengthen public health care," he said.

"We've been working hard over the last year or so with the provinces, and I would have liked to see any specific proposals. Nothing."

Harper and Duceppe hold back

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper appeared unimpressed by Layton's address, saying he expects Layton is continuing to negotiate with the Liberals.

"I'm not sure anything has changed yet today," he said. "If Mr. Layton is really serious about opposing this government, he can take the initiative."

However, Harper refused to provide details about a motion the Conservatives have scheduled for November 15, but he did say, "it's not a confidence motion.

"We're not going to bring forward our own confidence motion before Christmas," he said.

"If there is a consensus of all parties ... then we'll have a vote," Harper said, adding, "whenever in the past we formed a three-party front to take on the Liberals, Mr. Layton has simply used that as a bargaining chip with the Liberals."

As for the Bloc Quebecois, leader Gilles Duceppe said Monday that the Liberals can't count on his party to keep them in power.

As to working to defeat the government, "Mr. Layton has to make a move. It's up to him," he said.

Duceppe said the Bloc would go along with whatever the NDP and Conservatives decided.

Asked to explain the parties' behaviour, pollster Allan Gregg of The Strategic Counsel told CTV News: "They don't want to be seen as being opportunistic. They don't want to be seen as triggering a campaign simply because it's better for them now."

Fife's view

"What we have here are three opposition leaders in a room with a loaded pistol on the table. All three are saying they want to shoot Paul Martin and the Liberal Party, but no one is willing to pull the trigger," said Robert Fife, CTV's Ottawa bureau chief.

A Nov. 4 poll shows that about two-thirds of Canadians don't want an early vote.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has promised an election call with 30 days of the second Gomery commission report being tabled. That report is expected in February.

Parliament is in recess this week. A non-confidence vote is possible as early as the week of Nov. 14, although some speculate a vote might not happen until Dec. 8, when an estimates vote is to be held.

Fife gave the odds of an election being triggered on Dec. 8 at 50-50.