The prime minister says he doesn't want an election. And the finance minister says the country doesn't need one.

Legally, we aren't supposed to have a federal election until the middle of October 2012. So why does the Conservative government keep doling out money like there is no tomorrow.

And why is the Conservative party road-testing campaign-style attack ads aimed at Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

Getting ready for an election soon, right?

Probably right after the budget.

Of course you could say the Conservatives are just practising their campaign techniques. After all they might be rusty by October 2012 if they don't keep in shape.

And maybe all that money Stephen Harper is handing out is just the last of the soon-to-be-withdrawn stimulus fund, which was designed to keep Canadians happy and working.

the politics of proximity. Stephen Harper and Barack Obama at the G20 meeting in Toronto in June 2010. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

Maybe.

But if you want a surefire indication that the Harper government is planning for an election, look no farther than this simple fact: The prime minister arranged a meeting with the president of the United States and, probably as you are reading this, is off to Washington for the requisite photo-op.

The pirouette

In some ways, it can be argued, Stephen Harper is a new breed of prime minister.

But this Washington gambit tomorrow (Friday ) is right out of the playbook of former prime ministers, both Liberal and Conservative.

Look at the record going back over the last 40 years.

In 1972, down in the polls and coming up to his fourth anniversary in office, Pierre Trudeau did something that at the time seemed well out of character: He convinced then U.S president Richard Nixon to come to Ottawa and address a joint session of Parliament.

The visit was designed to help mitigate Trudeau's "hippie" and vaguely anti-American image by showing he could be friends with one of the West's most visible Cold Warriors.

Did it help? Well in the election six months later Trudeau hung on to power, albeit by a mere two seats. Without that presidential visit, who knows?

Irish eyes

Cast ahead a couple of elections, Trudeau was eventually succeeded by his one-time finance minister John Turner, who called an election almost immediately, not giving himself time to get in a trip to Washington.

But his Conservative opponent, knowing an election was coming, had already sought that strategic advantage.

Out of the media spotlight because of all the coverage of the Liberal leadership race, then Opposition leader Brian Mulroney used his connections to arrange for a White House meeting with Ronald Reagan.

Not only did he get the meeting — which is not impossible for an opposition leader but still pretty rare — but Mulroney was even able to get Reagan to invite him into the White House Rose Garden where they appeared on television.

There, with his arm around Reagan, Mulroney shouted out "What this continent needs is another Irishman."

That apparent Washington stamp of approval gave Mulroney the extra boost he so wanted and needed going into the campaign.

Nine months later, both now in office, Mulroney and Reagan were singing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" on stage together in Quebec City.

As prime minister, Mulroney maintained a close relationship with both Reagan and his successor, George H. Bush.

Each was in Canada so often that a special, official visit seemed almost unnecessary.

Still, Reagan had just such a state visit here in 1987, while Mulroney enjoyed his turn at one in Washington in 1988.

That was just ahead of a general election (fought over free trade). Guess what? Mulroney won.

Chretien's turn

It would be almost a decade before the presidential card was played again.

In 1997, then Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien was quietly planning an election after only about three and a half years in office.

In April of that year he wrangled himself an invitation to the White House to see then president Bill Clinton who, amid the pomp and ceremony at a joint press conference, gave the game away.

Responding to a question, Clinton said a joint announcement was being made that day "because he needs it for his election."

Even Chrétien had to smile.

The election two months later was closer than Chrétien had thought.

The Liberals held on to their majority, but only just, raising the question: Did the Washington visit help?

Apparently Chrétien's successor, Paul Martin, thought so.

In 2004, just before calling his first election as prime minister, Martin arranged to visit then president George W. Bush in Washington.

Martin ended up with a minority government. But he stayed in office.

Did the Washington visit help?

Who really knows? But obviously prime ministers think they do.

So, brace yourself for those photos of Stephen Harper at the White House with Barack Obama. And while we're at it, somebody better get the ballot boxes ready too.