Liberals vote against Bloc Quebecois old age security motion – National [Video]

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is upping the ante for the Liberals, threatening to move toward an election as early as next week if the government doesn’t back a plan to increase old age security payments.

Most Liberals voted against a Bloc motion on Wednesday calling for the government to give a royal recommendation to a bill that would increase pensions for seniors under age 75 by 10 per cent. The move will cost more than $3 billion a year.

A private member’s bill that costs money requires the government’s support.

The Bloc, NDP and Conservatives all voted for the motion, but it carries only symbolic weight because it is non-binding.

Five Liberal MPs from Atlantic provinces also voted in favour of the motion, according to the vote result on the Commons website: René Arseneault, Serge Cormier, Mike Kelloway, Ken McDonald and Wayne Long. The Atlantic provinces have the highest proportion of residents over the age of 65.