In another confidence test, the Liberal budget passed third reading in the House of Commons Thursday evening.

The Liberals had the support of the NDP and the Conservatives for Bill C-43 to pass by a margin of 242-54.

The NDP's budget amendment, Bill C-48, will likely come to a vote next week. The Liberals made a deal to add $4.6 billion in extra spending to the federal fiscal plan, in return for a guarantee of the NDP's support when it came to a crucial confidence vote last month.

The Conservatives have said they won't stall the amendment, but only if the Liberals agree to delay same-sex marriage legislation.

Were the Conservatives to filibuster the budget bill -- by putting up dozens of speakers -- the government could be forced to either suspend debate or extend the Commons session into the summer.

Parliament is set to begin its summer break next Thursday, June 23, and resume sitting in September.

Timeline for vote on controversial bill not clear

On Thursday, same-sex marriage legislation appeared to be on the backburner.

Prime Minister Paul Martin said the same-sex bill may not come to a vote in Parliament before MPs take their summer break next week.

"There is no guarantee in a minority government," Martin told reporters in Ottawa, adding though that the bill "is a priority."

But, he said, the timeline for voting on the controversial bill is not clear, and he suggested it won't be his Liberal government's fault if the opposition delays the vote with filibustering.

"How long it takes us to get it through is really up to Mr. Harper," he said, referring to the Conservative Party leader.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, also speaking to reporters, echoed the prime minister's tone when asked about the gay marriage bill.

"I'm the minister of justice," Cotler said. "I don't control the parliamentary process."

Cotler also said he could not control what tactics the Opposition might take to slow the bill's passage through parliament.

"I don't know what roadblocks will be put up by the Opposition with respect to filibustering on both budget and on bill C-38 (the same-sex marriage bill).

But, Cotler said, "this bill will pass."

Proponents of gay marriage were quick to blast the government, calling same-sex marriage a matter of human rights that should not be delayed.

"It is time to let Parliament decide," Alex Munter, National Co-ordinator of the group Canadians for Equal Marriage, said at a news conference in Ottawa a short time after the prime minister had finished speaking.

"The is not a not a single solitary member of Parliament who is undecided on this issue," he said.

"The government can pass equal marriage legislation before summer if it wants to -- it's that simple. It's a question of will. It's a question of leadership."

Bill C-38, titled Law on Civil Marriage, has already passed two votes in Parliament, including a crucial second vote in May when 164 members voted in favour of it and 137 against.