OTTAWA - Federal politicians of all stripes say they don't want the coming budget vote to trigger a Christmas election — but nobody's ruling it out, meaning voters might soon have to resist the temptation to drop a lump of coal in a ballot box.

Government House leader Steven MacKinnon said recently the government did not yet have the votes to pass the budget being tabled Tuesday afternoon, which comes up for a vote later this month.

MacKinnon has called on Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre to not be "grinchy" and to get his MPs to back the budget.

Poilievre said during question period Monday that if the government tables an "affordable" budget, it can avoid an early election.

"The prime minister says Canadians who can't afford to eat, heat or house themselves need to make more, quote,

See Full Page