OTTAWA -

Stephen Harper has reprised his famous role as a coalition-busting slayer of vote subsidies in the hope of casting himself as the star of a new Conservative majority government.

The prime minister turned his long-stated desire to scrap the $2-a-vote subsidy for political parties -- which nearly cost him power in 2008 -- into a formal campaign pledge Friday, with two caveats:

First, Harper said he needs a majority to do it. He also promised to introduce the measure slowly, over a three-year period, so that opposing parties would not see themselves financially strangled.

His opponents weren't swayed. The Conservatives dwarf their rivals in fundraising and they believe this change would give Harper's troops a near-insurmountable financial edge.

The opposition parties castigated the idea Friday as forcefully as they did 27 months ago, when a showdown over public subsidies poisoned the atmosphere in Parliament and nearly toppled the Tories.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said the idea would lead to, "American-style attack politics" in Canada. The Bloc Quebecois and NDP warned it could mean a return to the bad old days when cash ruled politics.

That pile-on by the opposition may have been the exact response Harper was looking for.

The prime minister enjoyed the best poll numbers of his political life just over two years ago, when he squared off against his Liberal-NDP-Bloc foes in the showdown over subsidies and coalitions.

Now he's betting it could happen again.

Harper began the campaign with fire-and-brimstone warnings about a coalition and, to keep those embers crackling, he ended Week 1 by resurrecting his promise on vote subsidies.

His message was designed to channel public anger on two fronts: tax rage and voter fatigue. Harper argued that public subsidies are at the root of frequent elections since 2004.

"Taxpayers shouldn't have to support political parties that they don't support. I think that's people's choice," Harper said in Dieppe, N.B.

"This enormous cheque that keeps piling into parties every month whether they raise any money or not that means we're constantly having campaigns, the war chests are always full for another campaign...

"You lose one, immediately in come the cheques, you're ready for the next one even if you didn't raise a dime."

Harper said even his party would have to adapt to a new reality. Last year, the Tories received $10.4 million, versus $7.3 million for the Liberals, $5 million for the NDP and $2.7 million for the Bloc Quebecois.

But the elimination of the subsidy would give the Conservatives a commanding advantage over their rivals based on money raised in recent years.

The Tories raked in $17.8 million in 2009 -- almost double the $9 million for the Liberals.

So while the governing party draws a significant fraction, roughly one-third, of its revenues from public subsidies some of the smaller parties rely on them for the majority of their funding.

The prime minister promised the change would happen slowly -- over a three-year transition period where he would consult with other parties about how to introduce the measure.

It should be noted that during his two-year crusade against public subsidies, the prime minister has never hinted at cutting the tax refund for individual contributions, where his Tories hold a huge advantage.

The opposition parties warned that Harper's gambit could have negative long-term consequences on Canadian democracy.

"Mr. Harper wants to bring American-style attack politics into Canada," the Liberal leader replied.

"He's been doing it for 2.5 years. This is Canada. We have a Canadian electoral system that limits the influence of big money in politics. He wants to get it out of the way and give us American-style attack politics."

Ignatieff said the federal system is fair, "economical," and creates a level playing field for all parties.

The Bloc Quebecois noted that the response in Quebec to recent corruption scandals has been to increase public funding for political parties -- not eliminate it.

The NDP's Jack Layton said Canada has built a fair system that shouldn't be tampered with.

"Do we want to go back to the days where money and those who could finance campaigns determine the nature of our democracy? I don't want to go there," Layton said.

"I think a mixed approach that has people making contributions, mixed with some public support, gives us a vibrant democracy where big money doesn't have the same play."

There will be no one-on-one debate on the issue between Harper and Ignatieff.

The prime minister brushed off a request from his main challenger, delivered in a letter, for an additional debate just between them.

He said Ignatieff had his chance to go one-on-one while negotiating the format for the traditional televised leaders' debate, but didn't seize the opportunity.

Those scuffles aside, it was recycling day Friday.

All three of the main national party leaders trotted out campaign blue boxes chock full of well-worn promises.

Harper was first out the door, reannouncing initiatives from last week's budget to protect jobs and help laid-off older workers.

The prime minister told supporters in New Brunswick that he would extend six initiatives under the "Here for Workers" plan, including a job-sharing program aimed at reducing or preventing layoffs.

The plan would also continue a scheme to help older workers in hard-hit communities, extend employment-insurance pilot programs and eliminate mandatory retirement for workers in federally regulated workplaces.

Ignatieff was in London, Ont., building on a series of announcements on social issues, including pensions, education and child care.

This time it's a $1-billion Family Care Plan he's been pushing that would let people take time off from work to care for seriously ill or aging relatives, and provide help with the cost of caregiving.

It includes a six-month Family Care Employment Insurance Benefit, similar to the EI parental leave benefit and a new tax benefit of up to $1,350 a year.

"Canadian families want to shoulder the responsibility of caring for their loved ones, but they also deserve a government that stands with them," said Ignatieff.

Layton was in Sudbury, Ont., where he hopes health care will be a trump card. Layton said an NDP government would invest $165 million to train and recruit 1,200 doctors and 6,000 nurses over the next 10 years.

He also wants to repatriate 300 Canadian doctors living abroad, as recommended by the Canadian Medical Association. And he would forgive student loans for health professionals and streamline recognition of foreign credentials so trained nurses and doctors from other countries are able to work in Canada.