Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet on Wednesday released a list of demands that the government must meet by the end of October if it wants to avoid the risk of an early federal election.
Blanchette told reporters on Parliament Hill that the Bloc wants the government to pass Bill C-319, which would increase old-age pension (OAS) payments by 10 per cent for people aged 65 to 74. The government has already topped up OAS payments for people aged 75 and over in 2022.
Blanchette also said he hopes the government will agree to pass the Bloc’s Member’s Bill C-282, which would exclude the supply-managed agriculture sector – dairy, poultry and eggs – from future trade negotiations.
He said those demands must be met by Oct. 29. If they aren’t met, he said, the Bloc will begin negotiations with the Conservatives and New Democrats to oust Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
Blanchette said if the Liberals deliver on those two priorities, the Bloc would not vote against the government before Christmas.
“What we’re proposing is not just good for Quebec retirees, it’s good for all of Canada. It’s not just good for Quebec, it’s good for milk, egg and poultry producers across Canada. It’s good for everybody,” Blanchette said.
Asked if the government was open to acceding to his demands, he said he was not yet sure how it would respond.
“We haven’t spoken to anybody about it. There’s been no discussions,” he said.
Given parliamentary realities, it is not clear how the government can meet these demands.
OAS supplemental Bill C-319 is up for a vote today, but it is not the final vote as it must pass through a House of Commons committee and the Senate before becoming law.
To instruct the government on spending,Royal recommendation“Approvals must be obtained from the government before the bill can become law. In the normal course of business, it would take several months to accomplish all this.”
Bill C-282, which could tie the hands of future trade negotiators, is in a Senate committee. The government has little to no control over how long the Senate takes to debate, amend or pass the bill in committee.
The Senate committee is chaired by Ontario Senator Peter Boehm, a former G7 sherpa who has previously expressed concerns about the bill.