Scott Simms says he sees little in the Conservative budget that will help his constituents. (CBC)Four of six Liberal MPs from Newfoundland and Labrador said they will vote against the federal budget.

Scott Simms, who represents the central Newfoundland riding of Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor, said Monday he views the federal Conservative budget as an attack on Newfoundland and Labrador, as it includes provisions to delete the province's opportunity to collect $1.6 billion over three years.

Siobhan Coady, LIberal MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, said Monday her caucus colleagues understand her position in having to go against her own party in voting against the budget.

"So I will be voting no on this budget unless we can find something that is satisfactory to Newfoundland and Labrador," she said.

Simms and Coady join fellow Liberals Scott Andrews and Judy Foote in opposing the Conservative budget unless it is amended to protect Newfoundland and Labrador's anticipated revenues.

Simms said he sees other reasons to oppose the budget, which is intended to stimulate the Canadian economy.

"If this is a stimulus program, then it should be universal and available to all," Simms told CBC News.

"It's not. I have over 200 towns in my riding, most of them are quite small. Most of them will not be able to avail of these infrastructure spending programs."

Simms's riding includes Grand Falls-Windsor, where the town's newsprint mill is set to close before the end of March.

Gerry Byrne, Liberal MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, told CBC's Politics with Don Newman that he's giving Prime Minister Stephen Harper 24 hours to amend the budget.

"I have no intention of supporting this budget as it stands today," he said.

But there was no sign Monday that the Harper government is willing to bend on the issue, which involves a change to the complicated formula for calculating equalization payments to have-not provinces.

One MP will support an amended budget

Labrador Liberal MP Todd Russell said Monday he will do what is in the best interests of Labrador, but party solidarity is also important.

"So far I plan to support an amended budget. And that amendment comes through the Liberal amendment that we are going to be voting on today. And of course when that amendment goes through, we'll be voting on an amended budget … I know people want drama, I know … the story seems to be 'Oh what are the Liberals going to do?' But the real story here is: What has Stephen Harper done?"

Russell said the Liberals believe they can hold the prime minister accountable through an amendment that would require periodic updates on the budget.

St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe: 'Our MPs — to a person — should vote against this budget. There's no doubt.' (CBC)

On Monday, St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe warned that Liberal MPs who vote on Tuesday in favour of an unchanged federal budget are playing a dangerous game with their own careers.

Liberal MPs from Newfoundland and Labrador have said they are lobbying for change with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, who has not said whether he will respond to an appeal from Premier Danny Williams to act on the budget.

O'Keefe told CBC News that much depends on what happens leading up to Tuesday's budget.

"Our MPs — to a person — should vote against this budget. O'Keefe said. " There's no doubt.

'Political suicide'

"I mean this is a serious, serious blow to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador, and for any MP from any party to even think about not voting with the population of Newfoundland and Labrador is just unthinkable — aside from the fact it would be political suicide."

Williams, who has described changes in the budget as punitive, has asked Ignatieff to work on a one-year moratorium on equalization revisions, which have also drawn criticism from Quebec Premier Jean Charest and others.

At issue is a change in the equalization program that Williams says affects the province dramatically, even though Newfoundland and Labrador is off equalization. At issue are offset payments linked to the original 1985 Atlantic Accord, which recognized the province as the primary beneficiary of the then undeveloped offshore oil industry.

'I'm not in the business of carrying Premier Williams's water'

— Michael Ignatieff

The new budget removes the ability of Newfoundland and Labrador to choose whether to sign on to previously announced equalization policies. Williams believes the change is payback for the "Anything but Conservative" campaign he successfully waged in last year's federal election, in which the federal Conservatives were shut out in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ignatieff, who has indicated general support for the budget, said the federal Liberals are researching the issue, although he has indicated Williams should not expect automatic support.

"I'm not in the business of carrying Premier Williams's water," Ignatieff said in an interview broadcast Saturday on CBC Radio's The House.

"He has to understand that. I have to represent Canadians from coast to coast to coast and from all provinces … but if there's discrimination against and broken faith with Newfoundland, we are going to make our position very clear to the prime minister and in the House."

Last week, Liberal MPs Judy Foote and Scott Andrews said they are prepared to risk party discipline and vote against the budget.