Prime Minister Stephen Harper claims he wants to build bridges with his political opponents in Parliament.

“Obviously we have to do some trust building on both sides,”  Harper said  at an impromptu  news conference after the Governor General approved his request to prorogue Parliament until January 26.

The prime minister also  stated that  he wanted to “dialogue” with the other parties. “I want to hear their specific suggestions,” he said.

Harper also  pointed out  that he has met many times with Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, and has accepted his input on policy issues.

However, Harper said would never allow himself to be beholden to the Bloc Quebecois  for the governing of the country.

He also defended his decision to eliminate public financing of political parties in a recent economic statement delivered by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. The Conservatives reversed themselves after a furious outcry from the opposition parties.

“The proposal we made involved us taking the biggest reduction of anybody in a policy that the public has never supported,” Harper said.