Canada's Prime Minister has been granted permission by the Governor General to suspend the country's parliament for more than a month.
Stephen Harper was seeking to block a vote of no confidence that was almost sure to topple his minority government.
The government has been heavily criticised for its handling of the economic crisis.
Prime Minister Harper said that once parliament resumed, his priority would be to put in place a budget that would attract cross party support.
The decision effectively stymies opposition plans to topple Harper's government next week.
The main Liberal opposition led by Stephane Dion spearheaded the move to try to unseat Prime Minister Harper, accusing him of failing to shore up the nation's sagging economy.
The opposition had scheduled a vote of no confidence in Mr Harper's administration for 8 December, just seven weeks after he was re-elected at the head of a minority government.
The censure motion would have precipitated the rise of a Liberal-New Democrat coalition, supported by the separatist Bloc Quebecois, or resulted in Canada's fourth snap elections in four years.
The governor general's decision now gives Stephen Harper a chance to try to resolve the crisis.
It also allows his finance minister time to prepare a budget for 27 January that is expected to undercut the coalition's call for a fast-tracked economic stimulus package.
