National News
Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet speaks with reporters outside caucus, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 in Ottawa.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Bloc Québécois to push Liberals on pension pact with opposition day motion
Published 10:23 PDT, Tue October 1, 2024
—
The Bloc Québécois put the squeeze on the Liberals Tuesday by calling for a debate in the House of Commons about increasing old age security payments for all seniors.
Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has given the government until Oct. 29 to green-light his party's pension bill, which is estimated to cost about $16 billion over five years.
In exchange, his party will "not unplug the government that isn't doing well," he said in French on Tuesday.
The debate comes the same day MPs are expected to vote on the latest non-confidence motion put forward by the Conservatives in an attempt to topple the minority government. It is not expected to pass, but if the government doesn't comply with the Bloc's demands, Blanchet said the next one might.
"If the government doesn't accept our request, well, we'll understand what that means and we'll begin negotiations that might not be pleasant, but the end will be clear," Blanchet said in his speech to the House Tuesday, promising in that case to work with other opposition parties to bring the government down.
Acquiescing to the Bloc's demands, however, will only buy the government a few months of support.
The NDP and Conservatives already voted in favour of the Bloc's pension bill at second reading, which would increase old age security payments by 10 per cent for seniors aged 65 to 74.
Because it's a spending bill, the governing Liberals need to support the legislation. They have not yet said whether they will negotiate with the Bloc.
The Liberal government increased old age security payments by 10 per cent for people over the age of 75 in 2022, with the intention of targeting the most vulnerable seniors.
The parliamentary budget officer estimated that increasing old age security those under 75 would cost an additional $16 billion over five years.
Instead of debating the motion, Kevin Lamoureux, the parliamentary secretary to the Liberal House leader, outlined other ways his party has supported seniors since they were elected in 2015, including a national dental-care program for low- and middle-income Canadians and national pharmacare legislation.
"These programs are of great benefit to our seniors. Unfortunately, the Bloc have made the decision to vote against these programs," said Lamoureaux.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould would not comment on the Bloc's motion Tuesday except to say that she looked forward to the debate.
NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo called the Liberals "cruel and callous" for withholding financial support for the Bloc bill. The vote on the Bloc's motion is expected later this week.
– Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
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