OTTAWA — Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon expressed growing concerns on Tuesday regarding the support of Parliament’s two main opposition parties for the government’s upcoming budget. He indicated that if the budget fails to pass, it could lead to a collapse of Parliament and prompt Canadians to vote again this year.

“If an election is necessary, we would obviously, reluctantly, because we don’t think Canadians want an election, but election there will be,” MacKinnon told reporters as he entered the government’s weekly cabinet meeting. The government is scheduled to present its first budget on November 4, just two weeks away.

As a minority government, the Liberals need support from other parties to pass their budget. Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre outlined his party's demands in a letter to Prime Minister Carney on Monday. He emphasized that the Liberals must keep the federal deficit below $42 billion. However, the Parliamentary Budget Officer recently projected that the deficit could rise to nearly $70 billion by 2025-2026, which includes $5 billion in spending promised to industries affected by U.S. tariffs, particularly in the auto sector.

While the government has requested all federal departments, except for national defense, the RCMP, and Canada Border Services Agency, to find 15 percent in savings over three years, Carney has also committed to increasing military spending to meet NATO's target of two percent of GDP.

In his letter, Poilievre also called for various tax cuts, including reductions to the industrial carbon price, a key element of the government’s strategy to lower greenhouse gas emissions. MacKinnon criticized the Conservative demands as “ludicrous,” stating, “We have two opposition parties, principally that aren’t taking this matter very seriously.”

MacKinnon also addressed the Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, who has indicated that his party may not support the budget. The Bloc has presented a list of six “non-negotiable” demands, including increased provincial health transfers and a 10 percent rise in Old Age Security payments for those aged 64 to 75. These proposals would require significant additional government spending.

Additionally, the Bloc is requesting approximately $814 million for Quebecers to compensate for rebates that residents in other provinces received from the now-cancelled federal consumer carbon tax during the last federal election.

Interim NDP Leader Don Davies has also called for increased health spending, stating that the party would not support a budget that adopts an “austerity approach.” Davies has met with Carney, and MacKinnon noted that Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has engaged in further discussions with opposition leaders.

The political landscape remains tense as the government prepares for its budget presentation, with the potential for an election looming if support cannot be secured.