Twenty-four hours after the finance department projected a possible deficit of more than $18 billion, Finance Minister Bill Morneau is appearing before MPs as part of the finance committee's pre-budget consultations.

CBCNews.ca will carry Morneau's appearance live starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.

While the Liberals committed during last year's campaign to running deficits of no more than $10 billion, the federal government now argues that low oil prices and weak economic growth will necessitate a larger shortfall. 

The government's $18-billion projection does not include the vast majority of Liberal spending promises, raising the possibility that the first federal budget for the new Liberal government will have a deficit of as much as $30 billion.

The Liberals have also moved away from committing to a return to balance by 2019.