Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government has survived its first confidence test of the new session of Parliament.

The House of Commons voted 214-84 Tuesday to reject a Bloc Québécois amendment to the federal budget.

The amendment would have forced the government to improve EI benefits and stop tax benefits to the oil industry — and use the money to help Quebec. Only the Bloc and NDP supported the proposed change.

Earlier, the House overwhelmingly voted down an NDP sub-amendment that called for eliminating tax benefits to all big corporations. Only the NDP supported that change.

The Liberals — who are not pushing for a spring election — didn't bother to introduce an amendment.