Pension demands of Bloc at odds with Liberal political strategy and economic plans

The government is under pressure to decide on the $16-billion demand from the Bloc Québécois to avoid an election, but this may clash with the Liberals’ political and fiscal plans.

Over the past year, the Liberals have focused on addressing the sense of injustice felt by millennials and generation-Z Canadians who believe their hard work isn’t yielding the same rewards as previous generations.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has championed policies promoting “fairness for every generation,” the Bloc has set a deadline of Oct. 29 for approving spending on its bill to increase old age security for seniors under 75.

If the government fails to back the bill by then, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has threatened to collaborate with other parties to bring down the Liberal minority government before the new year.

“I don’t see the political advantage for the Trudeau Liberals in increasing spending for seniors,” said Liberal strategist Andrew Perez.

This demographic seems to be the only one where the Liberals are still competitive, according to Perez.

The younger voters who propelled Trudeau to victory in 2015 now appear to be leaning towards supporting Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, according to polls.

Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips, senior citizens’ benefits are a significant expense for the federal government, and have increased as the population ages.

While the Bloc argues that limiting increased old age security payments to those over 75 is discriminatory, economist Stephen Gordon disagrees, noting that older seniors are often more in need.

The Liberal government faces key decisions in the coming weeks as they navigate demands from the Bloc, economic constraints, and potential confidence votes in the House of Commons.