The opposition parties have cautiously offered to co-operate with the new Liberal minority government to pass legislation in the months ahead.

"It'll be issue by issue," Bloc QuÃ©bÃ©cois leader Gilles Duceppe told reporters on Tuesday. "I think we can maintain stability by debating each issue based on its merit."

After voting results were tallied Monday, Duceppe said while no one can deny that Quebecers gave their suppport to a sovereigntist party, the Bloc will go to Ottawa "with co-operation in mind."

"We will make all the necessary efforts to find common ground in the interests of Canada and Quebec," he said.

The Liberals captured 135 seats and the Conservatives won 99, while the Bloc had 54 and the NDP 19. There was one Independent elected from B.C.

"All parties have a serious obligation to try to make things work," said former NDP leader Ed Broadbent, once more an MP after a 15-year break from politics.

"It's in the self-interest of all the parties right now to be seen to be working together," said Broadbent, who was the NDP caucus chair in the 1972-74 Trudeau minority government.

Conservative Peter MacKay, who helped forged the merged right-wing party that gave the Liberals a run for their money, said his party's strategy will be to force more accountability in government.

The government's survival depends on all of the parties, he told CBC Newsworld Tuesday. He said the level of co-operation depends on the issues and whether the Liberals follow through on their promises.

All party leaders except the Conservatives' Stephen Harper had news conferences scheduled on Tuesday.

The Bloc leader was first to speak in Montreal. NDP leader Jack Layton will talk to reporters at 1:30 p.m. EDT in Ottawa and Prime Minister Paul Martin will speak in Ottawa at 3 p.m. EDT.

Politics pundits say there are suggestions that Harper may not make a public appearance until Canada Day on July 1.