Bloc Québécois says it will end House of Commons stalemate if Liberals meet demands

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet says he's willing to end the stalemate in the House of Commons and get the government's business back on track if the Liberals make progress on the Bloc's demands.

The Commons has been at a standstill since Sept. 26 as Conservative MPs continue standing to speak to a Conservative motion that MPs must deal with before moving on to other business. The Liberals have accused the opposition of filibustering.

Conservative MPs are pressing the Liberals to turn over documents related to Sustainable Development Technology Canada, the federal agency that was shut down in June after the auditor general raised serious concerns about its management.

The Liberals, however, argue the House of Commons should not be providing documents to the RCMP for an investigation, and that doing so could breach the Charter right to due process.

The debate entered its 13th sitting day on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Blanchet said he would support a closure motion on the Conservatives' debate — effectively ending it — if the Liberals move quickly on the Bloc's demands.

Blanchet reminded the Liberals of the Oct. 29 deadline he set for them to either support the Bloc's demands — a bill increasing pensions for some seniors and a bill protecting supply-managed farm sectors from trade concessions — or risk the Bloc negotiating with other parties to bring down the government. The Bloc would need the support of both the Conservatives and the NDP to pull off such a move.

"I invite the government, which is being eaten from the outside and from within, to at least focus a little on managing the state of affairs. Because I have the impression that there is no more government," Blanchet said in French.

"We are still trying to make sure that something concrete and constructive happens in the House of Commons. So I invite them to a rude awakening, and especially to have no doubt on what our behaviour will be like at the deadline."

Blanchet also questioned the priorities of the government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggesting that the Bloc's demands aren't top of mind.

"It's none of my business. But the prime minister gets off a plane from Asia and he's in a position where he has to ask himself questions on his resignation, on prorogation, on going to an election, on giving the Bloc what we're asking, [and] trying to make peace inside his own caucus," Blanchet said in French.

"He's in a situation where, I'm not sure how he manages to overcome the kind of overload that brings. And so in that context, I can't not remind the government that the clock is ticking."

The Bloc's bill for seniors, Bill C-319, received unanimous support at the committee stage but awaits third reading. 

But while the bill had support from all parties at committee, it may not become law even if it passes third reading in the House of Commons.