Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the much-anticipated Tory budget will include government spending to stimulate the economy, but will also feature tax cuts aimed at "getting money in consumers' pockets."

"I think that what we can be sure is, it will be a good budget for the economy," Harper told CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife on Monday.

However, Harper refused to specify the size of the tax cuts, and told Canadians to "stay tuned.

"Some of those tax initiatives will involve getting money in consumer's pockets, so that ordinary people, working class people, middle class people, can spend money," Harper said, adding that the cuts will be "affordable" in the long-term.

Still, the Liberals have said that cutting taxes for middle-class Canadians would throw the country into long-term deficits, and they've threatened to vote against the budget.

The Conservatives have gradually leaked details about the budget in advance of its official release on Tuesday, including $64 billion in deficit spending over the next two fiscal years. It marks the first time in a dozen years that Ottawa's books have run into the red.

But Harper declined to get into specifics about how many jobs will be created through massive government spending, which includes $7 billion for infrastructure spending and $2 billion for public housing projects, among other initiatives.

"I think that the game of predicting jobs is very dangerous" said Harper, adding that there are too many influences on the economy to pin down a specific number.

The Tory budget plans to make good on a previous promise to provide funding for home renovations to make them more energy efficient.

Still, faced with the prospect of loosing power through a non-confidence vote, Harper urged his Parliamentary colleagues to "stop the political games and get on with the business of passing some of these economic measures."

Harper then hinted that he would push for another election in the event his budget is defeated: "We'll have to go to an election and the people will have to decide this."

All eyes on the Grits

With the NDP and Bloc indicating they will oppose the budget no matter what it contains, all eyes will be on the Liberals. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, who took over the party's leadership from Stephane Dion in December, has appeared lukewarm to the idea of a coalition with the NDP - and one that would be supported by the Bloc Quebecois.

But his party has not indicated either that a coalition is off the table.

Liberal finance critic John McCallum repeated his party's stance that the "devil is in the (budget's) details," and they will study the document closely before making a decision.

"Should we decide to bring the government down, then the ball is in the governor general's court," McCallum told CTV Newsnet's On the Hill Monday evening. "The coalition is a possibility, but that is not our decision.'

Coalition still on, says NDP

NDP finance critic Thomas Mulcair was more definite about continued talks of a coalition, saying planning for an alternative government should the Tories' fiscal document fail is "the only responsible thing to do."

Mulcair said that even if the budget contains measures to help the unemployed and disenfranchised, the Harper government has set bad precedents in the past - promising tens of billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure that resulted in only millions actually flowing.

Mulcair also painted as false spin the Tory claim that an unnecessary election would have to be thrust upon voters. The Conservatives have repeatedly claimed a Liberal - NDP coalition - especially one propped up by the separatist Bloc - would be undemocratic.

Citing the "unanimous view" of 35 constitutional experts from across the country, Mulcair said within a six-month period of the last election, the Governor General must give the official opposition - in this case with the support of the coalition partners - the chance to obtain the confidence of the House should the government be defeated.

"That's what terrifies Stephen Harper," said Mulcair.

"(The Conservatives) are in a fight to save their lives."

McCallum stated the Bloc is not part of the coalition, and that they simply signed a "non-aggression pact" with the Liberals and the NDP.

"Harper has worked with Bloc as well. This is not new in Canadian politics," said McCallum. But he warned: "We're not there yet, the first decision is whether to support the budget."