For the second time in five days, Liberals are accusing Conservative Leader Stephen Harper of plagiarism.

In a press release issued by the Liberals, Ottawa-South candidate David McGuinty accuses Harper of copying a speech given by former Ontario Premier Mike Harris in 2002.

The press release compares the speaking notes used by Harris on December 4, 2002, which are posted on the website of the Montreal Economic Institute:

"Thinking about things from a new and different perspective is never easy. It takes courage, conviction and the strength to know that in taking a new and innovative course, you are making change for the better. Genuine leaders are the ones who do the right thing."

Two months later, on February 19, 2003, Harper gave a similar address in the House of Commons in response to the Liberal budget:

"Thinking about things from a new and different perspective is not about reading the polls and having focus group tests. It is never easy because it takes courage, conviction and the strength to know that taking a new and innovative course is going to make change for the better. Genuine leaders are the ones who do the right thing."

The new allegations come just days after a campaign worker for the Conservatives resigned after admitting he used parts of a speech from then-Australian prime minister John Howard in a 2003 speech for then-opposition leader Stephen Harper.

Dan Dugas, a Conservative spokesman, shrugged off the latest plagiarism accusation as a Liberal plan to "deflect attention from their lack of an economic plan," The Canadian Press reported.

He added that the Liberals had found 44 similar words out of a nearly five-thousand word speech.

Still, Dugas wouldn't say who actually wrote the Harper speech.

Meanwhile, McGuinty accused the Conservative leader of lacking the capacity to think for himself.

"It's time for the prime minister to take responsibility for his repeated plagiarism, for passing off the thoughts and words of others as his own. Or perhaps he'll simply find another junior speech writer to fire," McGuinty said in the release.

The Conservatives initially downplayed Liberal candidate Bob Rae's accusations of plagiarism on Tuesday.

But Conservative aide Owen Lippert, who had been Harper's former speechwriter, took responsibility for cribbing Howard's words and resigned.

"Neither my superiors in the office of the leader of the Opposition nor the leader of the Opposition was aware that I had done so," Lippert said in a statement.

"I apologize to all involved and have resigned my position from the Conservative campaign."

With files from The Canadian Press