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OTTAWA — The Conservatives are anxiously hoping to sign off on a massive free-trade deal before kicking off an election campaign expected to start as early as Sunday.

The government is at the negotiating table in Hawaii, where Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks are reportedly in their final stages. With voting day set for Oct. 19, the governing Tories want to launch the campaign with the deal in hand — an agreement they could brandish as evidence of their economic stewardship.

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CBC reported Wednesday that Harper will ask Gov. Gen. David Johnston on Sunday or Monday to dissolve Parliament. The Tories have a major rally planned for Montreal on Sunday night, the CBC reported.

That would begin an 11-week election campaign — the longest in Canadian history. The Tories are widely seen as having the upper hand in a long campaign, because they have by far the most cash. Changes to election law last year allow parties to increase their spending by $675,000 per day beyond the $25-million maximum, each day that the campaign exceeds the 37-day legal minimum.