COVID-19 Benefits Boost May Snag NDP Support for Throne Speech

COVID-19 Benefits Boost May Snag NDP Support for Throne Speech
Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland (L) and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough hold a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 24, 2020. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
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The Liberals announced Thursday that the government is introducing a bill to create three new COVID-19 benefits for unemployed workers—a move that could secure NDP support and survive a confidence vote.

Known as Bill C-2, the proposed legislation seeks to pay out $500 a week, the same amount as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), instead of the originally proposed $400.