OTTAWA — The Bloc Québécois wants the Carney government to end all subsidies for Canada's oil and gas industry in Thursday's federal budget.Bloc finance critic Jean-Denis Garon made the demand Tuesday as his party released its budget priorities, which include redirecting federal support for the oil and gas sector toward public transit and municipal infrastructure.“We propose ending all forms of subsidies to the oil and gas sectors and instead doubling funding for public transit and municipal infrastructure, amounting to $50 billion over 10 years,” Garon said in a statement translated from French.The proposal could have implications for Alberta, which produces the majority of Canada's oil, although the Bloc did not specify which federal subsidies it wants eliminated.Garon's proposal was one of several demands made by the Bloc two days before Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is scheduled to present the federal budget.The party has previously criticized federal spending on energy projects in Western Canada..During a House of Commons debate in May, Garon argued that the energy sector, particularly in the West, did not need additional government support.He criticized subsidies for small modular nuclear reactors and tax measures supporting enhanced oil recovery, arguing that public money could be better spent elsewhere.The Bloc has also opposed federal support for new oil pipeline projects, including proposals involving Alberta's oil sands.In its latest budget demands, the party identified five priorities: affordability, housing and homelessness, the environment, culture and economic resilience.Garon called on Ottawa to double the grocery benefit, which he said would save a family with two children nearly $300.The Bloc also wants the federal government to eliminate the GST on used goods and increase Old Age Security payments by 10% for Canadians between 65 and 74..On health care, the party is demanding that federal transfers to the provinces increase by 6% annually over five years.The Bloc is also calling for an additional $2 billion in wage subsidies to support businesses and workers affected by tariffs, along with changes to employment insurance and assistance for the forestry industry.Other demands include restoring the digital services tax and requiring online streaming platforms to contribute more toward Canadian cultural production.“The Bloc Québécois is putting forward budget expectations that reflect the needs of Quebecers,” Garon said in a statement translated from French.The Bloc's demands come two days before the Carney government's budget, with the party seeking changes to federal spending priorities, including the elimination of financial support for oil and gas companies.
