Won't change economic update: Flaherty

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Friday that the federal government won't make changes to its economic update, even though opposition parties are threatening to vote against it.

"We are staying on track, and the bill is prepared and has the elements in it that I reviewed in the economic update yesterday," Flaherty said.

"This is the financial plan of the government of Canada," he told reporters following a speech in Toronto. "This is a matter of confidence."

But hours later, after the opposition parties threatened to bring down the minority government and form an unprecedented coalition, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced key votes in the House of Commons would be delayed until Dec. 8.

Opposition parties slammed the economic update for not including a stimulus package, and for including a provision that would end the $1.95-per-vote subsidy of public money parties get for every vote they earn in a federal election.

Earlier in the day, the Conservatives dropped the controversial proposal to end public subsidies of political parties from a confidence motion slated for a Monday vote, saying only tax measures will be included.

Flaherty also said the government is prepared to go into deficit next year if a stimulus package is necessary to support the Canadian economy.

"I was very clear with Canadians yesterday and I will say it again: if we have to do more to stimulate the economy, even more than the two per cent of GDP we have already gone … we will do more, and that would put us into deficit."