Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet used a press conference in Ottawa Thursday to criticize the federal government’s newly announced oil export framework, arguing it represents an overreach of federal authority and bypasses both provincial jurisdiction and Indigenous consent.Blanchet was responding to an agreement signed between Ottawa and the Alberta government that commits the federal government to support expanding western oil exports by an estimated 1.3 million additional barrels per day through the Pacific coast..He said the agreement appeared to allow the federal government to proceed with the expansion “at any cost,” even without approval from British Columbia or affected First Nations.According to Blanchet, the federal plan relies on legislation designating the project as being of “national interest,” a classification that would allow the government to override provincial authority.“If British Columbia is forced to accept infrastructure it does not want, then nothing prevents Ottawa from doing the same to Quebec,” Blanchet said..The Bloc leader framed the issue as part of a wider debate over provincial autonomy, referencing past opposition in Quebec to cross-country pipeline proposals. He warned that the agreement could set a precedent enabling other provinces, including Saskatchewan and Ontario, to request similar exemptions from environmental or regulatory oversight.Blanchet also questioned the motivation behind the federal government’s support for accelerated oil development, calling the policy “strictly commercial.” He argued that American shareholders represent a significant portion of investment in Western oil assets and said the announcement appeared to benefit private stakeholders rather than Canadians more broadly.The federal government has not released details of investor interests tied to the project but has stated that the plan is intended to strengthen the national economy and reinforce Canada’s role as an energy exporter..Public opinion in Quebec on pipeline development has shifted in recent years. Premier François Legault has indicated openness to considering new energy infrastructure, and polling shows some growth in support for domestic resource transport.Asked whether Quebec might seek its own negotiated exception similar to Alberta’s, Blanchet said he would oppose such a move, noting Quebec is not an oil producer.He added that the Bloc would publicly support British Columbia if its government decides to challenge the agreement..“They may not have many voices in the House of Commons defending their position,” Blanchet said. “But the Bloc Québécois will.”The federal government has not provided a timeline for legislative steps connected to the agreement, and it remains unclear whether provinces or Indigenous governments will be further consulted. Legal challenges are likely, particularly around consent obligations under existing constitutional and treaty frameworks.For now, Blanchet says the Bloc will prepare to oppose any legislation tied to the project. “This is a battle we do not intend to lose,” he said.
