The federal budget will include $7 billion for infrastructure projects with an emphasis on getting "shovels in the ground as soon as possible," Transport Minister John Baird announced.

Baird, speaking in Ottawa on Monday, said $4 billion will be spent over two years to help fund provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects.

"A big part of our economic action plan will include investing in our road, bridges, and water and sewer systems and in public transit," Baird said.

"By getting shovels in the ground on these types of projects we not only create jobs and allow our economic activity to grow but we also improve our economic competitiveness for decades to come."

The Tories are also spending $2 billion to support repairs, maintenance and accelerate construction at colleges and universities across Canada and $1 billion for a green infrastructure fund.

"We did not start this economic crisis but we will take steps to protect Canadians and our country from it," Baird said.

Liberal industry critic Gerard Kennedy said the Tories have an "unparalleled, miserable record" when it comes to actually putting up dollars to build bridges and roads.

Kennedy, addressing reporters after Baird's announcement, said Canadians should be skeptical because money announced by the Tories for many other previous projects has never been spent.

MPs back to work

Baird's announcement comes as members of Parliament are returning to work Monday, one day before the Tories present their federal budget -- which will need the support of the Liberals to survive.

In early December, Jean approved Prime Minister Stephen Harper's request to suspend Parliament, agreeing to put the government on hold until the end of January.

At the time, the Liberals and NDP had agreed to form a coalition, with the support of the Bloc Quebecois, after the Tories released a fiscal update which withdrew public funding for the federal parties and failed to include details of an economic stimulus package.

Harper sought a suspension of Parliament in order to avoid a confidence motion that would have likely toppled his government.

Since then, the Tories have consulted with various groups and leaders across the country about the budget, which will include an economic stimulus package.

Already, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley has announced a $1.5-billion fund for job training.

Finley told CTV's Question Period Sunday that the money will be available to people who are eligible for Employment Insurance as well as those who are not -- such as self-employed workers and stay-at-home parents who want to get back into the workforce.

Environment Minister Jim Prentice said Monday he thinks his government will survive the budget vote and that Canada's economy will recover.

"I'm confident that when this economic recession comes to a close that Canada will emerge even stronger and also that we'll have the best public finances in the G-7 both going into this downturn and also coming out of it," Prentice told CTV Newsnet.

Liberal support

The NDP and Bloc Quebecois are expected to vote against Tuesday's budget but the Liberals have said they'll wait to see the document before they decide.

However, on the weekend, the Liberals threatened to vote down the budget because it is said to contain a potentially contentious proposal to permanently slash taxes for middle-class Canadians.

While the Conservatives say the tax cuts will help working families during a challenging economic era, the Liberals say the rollback is ill-advised and will do little to stimulate the economy.

Conservative House Leader Jay Hill said Monday he's confident that the tax proposal won't stop the Liberals from supporting the budget.

"I'm quite optimistic that the Liberals... are going to take a responsible position, support the budget, support our government in the short term at least, and work together in the best interests of Canadians," Hill told CTV's Canada AM.

He said it was important that Ottawa get additional tax relief measures into the marketplace and into the hands of Canadians.

On Sunday, Liberal finance critic John McCallum said if the permanent tax cuts were very large the Liberals would be "very concerned" because it would saddle future generations with a big debt and a permanent deficit.

McCallum told CTV's Question Period Sunday that if the Tory budget fails to deliver what's best for Canada the Liberals will have little option than to vote it down.

However, senior Liberals are saying that Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's instinct is to support the budget right now, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said Monday.

"My sense here is that the Liberals are probably going to end up supporting this budget because there probably is going to be enough in there for everybody," Fife told CTV's Canada AM.