The Bloc Québécois is set to lay down a series of economic policies on which it hopes to co-operate with the Conservative government.

Such an accord would provide Prime Minister Stephen Harper with two potential opposition dance partners to keep his minority government alive.

Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe told The Canadian Press he will be making his demands known at a news conference Thursday in Ottawa.

The announcement comes on the heels of a poll that showed the Bloc behind the Liberals in Quebec for the first time in five years.

That poll — coupled with overtures from the NDP, and now the Bloc — suggests the Conservatives have more room to manoeuvre to avoid a vote of non-confidence.

The Tories only need support from one other party to keep their minority government afloat.

The Bloc and NDP had been systematically voting against the Conservatives for most of the last three years. But with the Liberals gaining support and mulling the possibility of bringing down the government this year, both the other opposition parties have now signalled a shift in strategy.

NDP Leader Jack Layton has said he wants to work with the Tories on a more generous Employment Insurance program, and better protection for credit card holders and pensioners.

Layton told The Canadian Press that he hasn't heard any positive response yet from the Tories.

For his part, Duceppe said he'll judge the Tories on a case-by-case basis.