Bloc Québécois to push Liberals on pension pact with opposition day motion

OTTAWA — The Bloc Québécois will try to put the squeeze on the Liberals today by calling for a debate in the House of Commons about increasing old age pension payments for all seniors.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has given the government until Oct. 29 to green-light the estimated $16-billion cost of his party’s pension bill, or else he will begin talks with other opposition parties to bring down the government.

Agreeing to the Bloc’s demands, however, will only buy the government a few months of support.

The Bloc plans to use its opposition day motion to call on the government to support the pension bill as soon as possible, and it’s asking the other parties to support that call.

The vote is expected later this week and it may shed light on whether the government plans to agree to the Bloc’s terms.

The Conservatives, meanwhile, will take another shot at toppling the government this afternoon when MPs vote on another non-confidence motion that is not expected to pass.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.