Canada's opposition parties would be "irresponsible" to trigger an election just as Canada's economy shows signs of rebounding, Transport and Infrastructure Minister John Baird said Monday.

Transport Minister John Baird speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on Monday. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Baird said the latest economic indicators suggest the Conservative government's stimulus package is working. But he added the economy is too fragile for a snap election.

"I can tell you the very last thing this country needs is an unnecessary election, less than a year before we had the last one," Baird said following the release of Statistic Canada's latest figures, which showed Canada's gross domestic product grew for the first time since July 2008.

"It would be irresponsible to interrupt our important work on the economy with an unnecessary election."

According to Statistics Canada, the country's GDP grew in June by 0.1 per cent compared with May, driven by a growing service sector and improved domestic demand.

The monthly gain was not enough to push Canada's GDP growth into positive territory for the second quarter of 2009, but likely sufficient to have economists backing the belief that the country is on the road to economic recovery.

But Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said any suggestion by Baird that an election would have a negative effect on the stimulus is a "piece of nonsense."

"For a guy who hasn't flowed the infrastructure, to now claim that the infrastructure won't flow if we have an election, is just tying himself in knots," Ignatieff said on Monday in Sudbury.

'Good sign'

The Liberals have gathered in Sudbury this week to discuss strategy for the fall parliamentary session amid speculation of another showdown with the Tories in the House of Commons.

Ignatieff would not say whether he's ready to try to take Stephen Harper's minority government off "life support," saying a decision will be made after consultations with party members.

But Baird said he was pleased to hear Liberal Senator David Smith's comments last week that the Liberals were not poised to trigger a fall election over employment insurance reform, less than three months since Ignatieff threatened to topple the minority Conservative government over the issue.

"I think it's a good sign," Baird said. "Election threats and election posturing, political posturing, I don't think that's what the economy needs."

The federal government pledged to spend at least $7 billion on infrastructure projects in an effort to boost Canada's sagging economy.

Baird dismissed charges by opposition MPs that the federal stimulus money they fought for has not gone out to municipalities fast enough.

Liberal finance critic John McCallum has said the government's slow pace in releasing stimulus money over the summer construction season has cost jobs.

But Baird insisted hundreds of projects are already underway.

"You don't simply flick a switch and spend $12 billion on new infrastructure spending," he said.

Toronto 'can't be left out'

Baird added he was expecting an announcement on infrastructure money for Toronto "very shortly."

A secret document revealed in media reports last week detailed more than 500 infrastructure projects on the city's wish list that are eligible for federal funding.

Baird was forced to apologize to Toronto Mayor David Miller in June after he was overheard using an expletive in criticizing the city's application for stimulus funding.

At the time, Baird said the City of Toronto's application for money from the federal government's $4-billion infrastructure fund was the only one among 2,700 submitted that wasn't done properly, so it shouldn't complain that Ottawa was dragging its feet.

But the minister said Monday he had spoken with Miller at the end of last week.

"I'm pleased to report the relationship between the mayor and I is excellent," Baird said.

"We really believe that Toronto can't be left out of our infrastructure stimulus. There's a lot of good projects the city came forward with."