Bloc threatens to push for an early election if government doesn't top up pensions by Oct. 29

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet laid out a list of demands Wednesday he said the government must fulfil by the end of October if it wants to avoid the risk of an early election.

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill, Blanchet said the Bloc wants the government to push through a bill, C-319, that would hike Old Age Security (OAS) payouts by 10 per cent for seniors between the ages of 65 and 74. The government topped up OAS payments for seniors aged 75 and older in 2022.

Blanchet also said he wants the government to agree to pass a Bloc private member's bill, C-282, that exempts the supply-managed farm sectors — dairy, poultry and eggs — from any future trade negotiations.

He said those demands must be met by October 29. If they're not, he said, the Bloc will start negotiations with the Conservatives and the NDP on toppling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

If the Liberals come through on those two priorities, Blanchet said, the Bloc won't vote against the government before Christmas. That would all but guarantee the government's survival into the new year.

"What we are proposing is good for retired persons in Quebec but also in Canada. It's good for milk, eggs and poultry producers in Quebec but also in Canada. That's good for everybody," Blanchet said.

Asked if the government has indicated it's open to his demands, he said he's not sure what its response will be yet.

"We have spoken to nobody about that. We have had no discussions," he said.

The Liberal government wouldn't necessarily fall if the Bloc pulls its support. Trudeau could convince the NDP to back him up again.

The Conservatives are eager to go to an election as soon as possible and have threatened to table more non-confidence motions in the coming weeks to trigger a vote.

The Liberals hold 153 of the 338 seats in Parliament.

To get to a majority of 169 MPs without Conservative support, the Liberals need either the NDP (25 MPs) or the Bloc (33 MPs) to stand with them.

The Conservatives (119 MPs) and the Bloc voting together wouldn't be enough to bring down the government — the NDP also would have to come on side.

It's not clear how the government could meet the Bloc's demands, given some parliamentary realities.