Parliament is set to return on Monday amid increased speculation the Conservative government is headed for a showdown with opposition parties in the House of Commons over the upcoming federal budget.

Sylvain Sauve cleans the House of Commons chamber on Parliament Hill on Thursday in preparation for the MPs' return on Monday. ((Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)) The Commons resumes sitting after weeks of campaign-style rhetoric and duelling attack ads that signalled the parties could be girding for a spring election.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's MPs and ministers have used the break to laud the government's record on handling the economy and stressing the need for continuity as Canada emerges from the global recession.

Inside Politics blog All-day updates from Parliament Hill from Kady O'Malley and the CBC News Parliamentary bureau

The Conservatives have accused the opposition leaders, especially Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, of conspiring to trigger an "opportunistic" and "unnecessary" election at a time when Canada's economic recovery is still vulnerable.

The Liberal Opposition, in turn, is expected to continue hammering away at the Conservatives for spending billions on corporate tax cuts, new F-35 stealth fighter jets and prisons at a time when Ottawa holds a record deficit.

With the Liberals already indicating they will vote against Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget when it is tabled in March, Harper's minority government must gain the support of either the Bloc Québécois or the New Democrats to survive a confidence vote and avoid a spring election.

NDP Leader Jack Layton has called for the Conservatives to eliminate the federal sales tax on home-heating fuel to help Canadians who are feeling the pinch over the winter.

Meanwhile, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe has outlined $5 billion his party wants spent on measures for Quebec, including $175 million for an NHL arena in Quebec City.