OTTAWA — The Harper government dismissed a pair of stinging parliamentary violations as a "distraction" and a "game," while the opposition called them a blow to Canadian democracy -- the latest in a public-relations war that could rapidly morph into an election campaign.

With the possibility of a confidence vote as early as March 21, the parties were furiously trying to frame House Speaker Peter Milliken's recent rulings on parliamentary privilege to their best advantage.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday that opposition politicians should be focused on the economy rather than "parliamentary procedure."

The Conservatives are gearing up to release their budget March 22 and want to shift the focus to the next phase of their economic action plan rather than a string of controversies that centre on respect for Parliament and its institutions, including Elections Canada.

"We have debates in Parliament all the time. The Speaker rules. You win some, you lose some. If you lose, you comply, and that's what we'll do," Harper said in Toronto.

"I understand in the game of democratic politics, oppositions and governments attack each other and there are parliamentary procedures and rulings back and forth, but that's the way life is."

Government House Leader John Baird went further, accusing the Liberals of being caught up in "distractions" rather than what Canadians really care about.

"Canadians are concerned about jobs, they are concerned about the economy, they are concerned about themselves and the future of their families," Baird said during question period. "All we have are these Liberal distractions."

On Wednesday, Milliken ruled the government had violated the freedoms and privileges of the House of Commons when they refused to give up full details on the cost of their crime bills and their corporate tax cuts. He also found that International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda breached parliamentary privilege when she provided inconsistent testimony to a Commons committee.

The three opposition leaders reacted energetically to Harper's dismissal of the rulings as "you win some, you lose some."

"This is not a hockey game. This is not a game here. This is democracy. The House of Commons is where our democracy happens," Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said outside the Commons.

"And the cynicism of the prime minister, it seems to me, is an insult to the Canadian people. What matters here is that we get a prime minister that actually respects the democratic rules of the game."

Is Ignatieff ready to trigger an election based on the two parliamentary violations?

"Let me make it clear, I'm not looking for an election, but if you treat the Canadian people with that kind of contempt, if you say democracy is a little distraction to you, look out!"

NDP Leader Jack Layton said while his party is focused on the coming budget, it's clear to him that Canadians have lost trust in the government.

"After all, on just about every major file affecting our democracy ... it looks as though he's lost his ability to distinguish right from wrong," said Layton, cane in hand from a recent operation to his hip.

Asked about his fitness to enter a federal campaign, Layton said: "Well let's just say I like going on the road, and that hasn't changed."

The Conservatives had planned to highlight their government's stimulus spending projects over the course of their March break recess from Parliament, but they'll be competing for the spotlight.

The Commons procedures and House affairs committee will meet for three days next week to consider what to do about the Speaker's ruling, including the possibility of holding Oda and other government ministers in contempt of Parliament.

A report on the issue of the crime-bill and tax-cut costs is due March 21, just a day before the tabling of the federal budget. Baird has said the government is preparing a response, which will either provide more information or explain why they won't.

That same day, party House leaders have been told the Liberals will have an opportunity to put forward an opposition motion, but Baird's office could choose to reschedule that.

The committee will also have to report on the Oda affair by March 25.

Oda said she will be happy to appear at the procedure and House affairs committee next week to set the record straight on why she initially told MPs she did not know who had altered the departmental funding document.