OTTAWA - As the Conservatives try to push their March budget through the House of Commons, they'll have to counter opposition efforts to gum up the process with hundreds of amendments.

Bill C-38, a huge budget bill that includes changes to 70 existing laws, is up for debate again Monday and the Tories want to pass the bill before MPs begin their summer break in this month.

First, they'll have to deal with 870 amendments the NDP, Liberals and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May have teamed up to introduce in hopes of slowing down the bill's passage.

Reports indicate the Tories may get some help from Speaker Andrew Sheer, if he decides that some amendments are similar enough that they can be dealt with together.

Meantime, even before the federal government gets its 2012 budget through the Commons, it's starting public consultations for next year's budget.

"As always, I am sure that Canadians can be counted on to contribute their views on the priorities that should be reflected in the federal budget in 2013," finance committee chair James Rajotte said in a statement. "I am always impressed by the wide range of ideas that are brought to our attention during the pre-budget consultation process and hope that we will have the same experience this year."

The Commons finance committee will collect submissions online for the 2013 budget (http://www.parl.gc.ca/PBC2012) until Aug. 3.