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    • Non-binding Bloc motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits passes without Liberal support

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    A non-binding motion from the Bloc Quebecois seeking money to boost seniors' benefits passed with the support of the other opposition parties on Wednesday.

    The Liberals voted against the motion, despite it being tied to an ultimatum from Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet that could now compromise the separatist party's willingness to back the government on future confidence votes.

    The motion calls on the government to "take the necessary steps to ensure that a royal recommendation is granted as soon as possible" to a private member's bill proposing a 10 per cent increase to Old Age Security (OAS) payouts for seniors ages 65 to 74. It passed 181 to 143.

    While the majority of MPs supported the Bloc's proposal, the motion does not compel the government to issue the royal recommendation needed for the legislation to be passable.

    This is a breaking news update, previous version follows…

     

    The Liberal government will vote against the Bloc Quebecois opposition day motion regarding boosting seniors benefits when it comes up in the House of Commons later today.

    Speaking to reporters on their way in to a Liberal caucus meeting on Parliament Hill, Liberal MPs expressed concern about the cost to the public purse, as well as the precedent it would set to approve billions in new spending through a private member’s bill.

    "The government will be voting against the opposition day motion. It is not appropriate for an opposition day motion to set the precedent of getting a royal recommendation this way," Government House Leader Karina Gould said, echoing comments made by Health Minister Mark Holland earlier in the day.

    "There are still conversations that we need to have that puts this in the overall context of the other discussions we're having. But doing it as a one-off for $16 billion on a private member's bill, it's the wrong mechanism," Holland said. "I would think the Bloc would understand that."

    The Bloc proposal, presented by Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, called on the government to "take the necessary steps to ensure that a royal recommendation is granted as soon as possible" to , An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act. 

    The legislation – a private member's bill – proposes a 10 per cent increase to Old Age Security (OAS) payouts for seniors ages 65 to 74. Under , because this bill seeks to spend public funds, a royal recommendation must be provided in order for it to be passable. 

    The vote on this proposal is scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon, following question period.  

    The motion was presented after Blanchet issued an ultimatum to the Liberals, giving the government until Oct. 29 to help enact a pair of bills or risk an election before the new year.

    Blanchet's line in the sand was significant progress on both Bill C-319, and Bill C-282 – seeking supply management protections in future trade talks— or he'd start negotiating with the Conservatives and NDP to bring down the government.

    The Bloc could have made this week’s motion a matter of confidence, but opted not to, with the party's deputy House leader telling CTV's Question Period that there would be "no point," while talks between the two parties were ongoing.

    That means the Liberals voting this down will not trigger the government to fall, though it remains to be seen how their rejection of this motion will affect whether the separatist party is ready to start siding with the Conservatives motions of non-confidence.

    Blanchet has signalled that he's not interested in compromising on his demands. 

    "You do this before Oct. 29 or we negotiate with other opposition parties to have the government fall," Blanchet said Tuesday.

    If the Liberals do lose the Bloc's backing, they will only have the NDP to turn to for continued support.

    "We're continuing to engage with the Bloc Quebecois, as we are with the NDP," said Justice Minister Arif Virani.

    Speaking to reporters ahead of question period, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party would back the Bloc motion. And, when it comes to future votes where his party may be the only dance partner left for the Liberals, his intention remains to go case-by-case.

    "We're in no current conversations with the Liberals. Based on every vote that comes before us, we will try to fight as hard as we can to get the most for people, but there are no negotiations or conversations… on anything specific," Singh said.

    Blanchet is expected to speak after the vote. 

    The Conservatives, NDP, and Greens all voted in favour of the Bloc's proposed changes to OAS during the bill's second reading last October. The Liberals and one Independent MP were the only parliamentarians to vote against it.

    "I think the question is, how we should be better supportive of our vulnerable seniors? There are seniors that are doing really well in our country, and that's great for them," said Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on Wednesday.

    "The question is, how do we use public resources to keep supporting seniors that really need and deserve our support?" 

    In an interview with CTV's Power Play last week, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux said it may be "a bit tricky" for the federal government to meet its fiscal anchors if it acquiesces to the Bloc's demand to expand the OAS.

    Giroux calculates that demand would come with an annual price tag of more than $3 billion, with a total cost of $16.1 billion over five years.

    "The big question is, can we afford it? And I think my understanding is the cost is really astronomical and prohibitive, and part of the government's job is to make choices in terms of priorities, where you spend the money, and unfortunately, we don't have enough money," Liberal MP Marcus Powlowski said today.

    Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith expressed similar concerns today. "Too expensive and poorly targeted," he said on his way out of a Liberal caucus meeting.

    "If anyone thinks right now, in today's fiscal environment and with the needs we have for low-income people, people struggling to afford their rent, people struggling afford groceries, that it's useful to spend a new taxpayer dollar, a taxpayer dollar we don't have, on seniors who are making over $120,000, the Bloc should explain that logic to me," he said, referencing the required to be eligible for the monthly payments.

    With files from Â鶹´«Ã½' Spencer Van Dyk

    This is a developing story, check back for updates… 

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