Yves-François Blanchet denies wanting to conclude agreements with the Liberals

Photo: Sean Kilpatrick La Presse canadienne Le chef du Bloc québécois, Yves-François Blanchet

As the parliamentary session approaches in Ottawa, which will be marked by a new political dynamic, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet is defending his intention to conclude piecemeal agreements with Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in exchange for support during confidence votes.

“I don't want to keep [the Liberals] in power,” he replied at a press briefing on Tuesday, during his pre-session caucus at the luxurious Fairmont Le Château Montebello. The latter assured that he was “as eager as anyone to go to an election,” but instead wanted to take advantage of his new balance of power to “make gains for Quebec.”

In the context where the Trudeau government is weakened by the recent tearing apart of the agreement between the Liberals and the New Democrats, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre promises to increase the number of confidence votes in the hope of triggering federal elections.

The Bloc leader, for his part, says he is rather ready to trade his support in order to advance his party’s priorities. Especially since a rushed federal election would very likely lead to the election of a majority Poilievre government. Nationally, the Conservatives hold a large lead of 22 points over the other parties.

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“No one has explained to me how the Bloc Québécois’ job is to help the Conservatives replace the Liberals. I’ve said it before: we have the choice between being bitten by a viper or a tarantula,” he said.

On his X page, Pierre Poilievre attacked the Bloc Québécois, which he accuses of being “in an identity crisis,” by publishing a photo montage in which Yves-François Blanchet appears holding two sweaters: one bearing his party logo and the other, that of the Liberal Party.

A list of demands

In exchange for his support, Mr. Blanchet indicated that he would demand, as a priority, that the government grant the royal recommendation to the bill that proposes to raise the pension for seniors aged 65 to 74 to the same level as that paid to those aged 75 and over. “You want to know what our demands will be when we return ? It’s clearly the first,” he confirmed.

Quebec’s powers over immigration, supply management and medical assistance in dying will also be among the subjects on which the Bloc Québécois hopes to make gains with the government.

Yves-François Blanchet’s party also hopes to eliminate the Criminal Code exception that allows hateful or anti-Semitic speech when it is based on religion. “For Quebecers, it is profoundly unacceptable that people can come and spread hatred against women, against sexual minorities or against the people of Israel. It is not acceptable, so that too could be part [of our demands],” he indicated.

With less than a week to go before the start of the parliamentary session, the leader of the Bloc Québécois indicated that his party will evaluate each vote on a case-by-case basis, based on the interests of Quebec. “We are here to fiercely promote the interests of Quebec, and that is what we will do,” he proclaimed.

“Now, we know that, sooner or later, we will have to vote against [a proposal], and that could result in the fall of the government. So be it, but that will not be the determining factor in our choice,” he explained.

Federal lawmakers will return to Parliament on Monday, September 16, the day of two byelections in Quebec and Manitoba.

The byelection in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, in Montreal, is being seen by many as a test of leadership for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Earlier this summer, the Liberals lost a seat in a byelection in Toronto-St. Paul’s, which is considered a Liberal stronghold.