Ottawa/New York  - Canadian liberal opposition leader Stephane Dione said late Monday he is ready to resign as soon as a successor is found, as his party accused him of having failed to successfully counter the ruling Conservative Party.

Dion failed to prevent Prime Minister Stephen Harper from forcing Canada's parliament into a seven-week recess to stave off a no-confidence vote against his minority government.

The Liberals and two other opposition parties joined forces to form a coalition government to replace Harper's Conservative minority government.

Lake Louise, Canada  - The women's World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise was cancelled Saturday because of too much snow.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 5  -- A roadside bomb in Afghanistan killed three Canadian soldiers and seriously injured two others Friday near Kandahar, military officials said.

The troops were on patrol in an armored vehicle around 9 a. m. when they hit the device, U. S. Maj. Gen. Michael Tucker, the deputy chief of staff of U. S. and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, told reporters in a teleconference call.

The deaths are the first for the new rotation of Canadian troops, who arrived in Kandahar in September, a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. correspondent reported.

Lake Louise, Canada  - Defending overall champion Lindsey Vonn was in command to win the opening downhill of the women's alpine World Cup ski season on Friday.

Montreal  - Prime Minister Stephen Harper won an important and historic tactical victory Thursday in his no-holds-barred confrontation with combined forces of the opposition.

But the crisis has also whipped political sentiments in Canada up to a level of aggression not seen for decades in Canadian politics, with strident and searing comments about treason and sedition against an opposition alliance with Quebec separatists.

Ottawa  - Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday appealed to Canadians to support his minority government and vowed to fight a no-confidence vote in parliament by the opposition.

In a nationally-televised address Harper accused the opposition on Wednesday evening of wanting to overturn the results of the latest general elections only seven weeks after the poll.

Canada's government would fight its opponents by all means at its disposal to prevent them from forming a coalition government to replace his own, Harper said.