Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer stated on Wednesday that his party believes the Liberal government is attempting to provoke another election by presenting a budget that the Opposition is unlikely to support. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is set to unveil the government's first budget next week, which is anticipated to include significant investments in military, housing, and support for workers and businesses impacted by the U.S. trade war. However, it may also feature substantial cuts to other areas of spending. As of now, no party has committed to backing the budget. The Liberals currently hold a minority of seats in Parliament and require support from at least one other party—either the Bloc Québécois, the Conservatives, or the NDP—to pass the budget in the House of Commons. If the Liberals fail to secure enough votes for the budget approval, it could lead to the government's collapse and potentially trigger an election less than a year after the last one. The timeline is critical; the 2024 budget was tabled in April, with a vote occurring two weeks later. If this year's budget follows a similar schedule, an election could be imminent as early as next month. Government House leader Steven MacKinnon expressed concern about obtaining sufficient votes for the budget. "When I see opposition parties ruling out the possibility of voting for the budget, that's starting to worry me," MacKinnon told reporters last week. In a recent interview, he added, "As we speak right now, we don’t have the votes." Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has outlined several demands for his party's support, including the elimination of the industrial carbon tax, which he refers to as "a hidden tax on food," as well as income and capital gains tax cuts, all while maintaining a deficit of $42 billion or less. Scheer criticized the government, suggesting that the upcoming budget is a pretext for calling costly elections. He stated, "It's becoming clear the government is going to use their costly budget as an excuse for costly elections. But there is an alternative. They could bring in what Conservatives are calling for and that is an affordable budget for an affordable life for Canadians." MacKinnon countered that Poilievre's demands are unrealistic, noting, "He's making proposals that he wouldn't even put in his own election platform six months ago." He urged the Conservatives to support the budget, emphasizing that the Liberal Party received a mandate from voters. The Bloc Québécois has also made demands that may not align with the government's spending reduction goals. They seek increased Old Age Security payouts, enhanced health transfers to provinces, interest-free loans for first-time homebuyers, and more infrastructure spending. The NDP, which currently lacks official status in Parliament and is leaderless, could provide crucial support. With seven MPs, they could help the Liberals pass the budget. However, the NDP may hesitate to back it due to the Liberal commitment to spending cuts. Interim NDP Leader Don Davies stated that his party will wait to review the budget before deciding on support. He noted that the Liberals have not engaged other parties in crafting the budget, which could jeopardize their chances of gaining NDP support. Davies emphasized the need for targeted investments to assist working families facing high prices, create good jobs, and strengthen public health care. He remarked, "It's up to the Carney government to deliver them," and added that the NDP will not endorse a budget that includes deep cuts. Unlike other parties that have ruled out support, Davies indicated a willingness to evaluate the budget's contents before making a firm decision. "We can't accept an austerity approach," he stated. "We're going to wait and see what the budget says."