After repeatedly insisting that caps on carbon emissions would lead to the loss of more than 300,000 jobs in Alberta, Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach altered his message Tuesday.
Reporters have asked Stelmach several times, including during the leaders' debate last week, for the source of the statistic without receiving an answer.
On Tuesday in Calgary, the question arose again, and as Stelmach was formulating an answer, his communications adviser jumped in with some prodding: "Across Canada, make that clear, premier, Alberta and across Canada."
The Tory leader then said, "Yeah, these are 300,000 jobs across the country of Canada, and that's a small amount given the fact that 745,000 jobs rely on the oil and gas industry in the country of Canada."
Before Tuesday's statement, the Progressive Conservatives used the job loss statistic in a news release that attacked the Alberta Liberals' climate change plan, which promises to bring in caps on carbon emissions within five years, and Stelmach quoted the number in a heated debate with an environmentalist.
"The other plan destroys 335,000 jobs. There are 600,000 new Albertans in this province. Do you want to send them back home to other provinces, other countries?" Stelmach said on Feb. 11.
Economic report not 'ready' for release
Alberta's government commissioned a technical report in 2006 that examined the economic impact of a carbon tax and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
It was used to formulate the province's climate change plan in January, but it did not detail the number of jobs that could be lost or created by aggressive climate change policies.
When CBC News asked to see a copy of the report this week, Alberta Environment responded that it was not ready to be released to the public.
The report was done by a B.C. consulting firm that recently worked with the B.C. government to introduce its carbon tax.
Alberta Votes 2008 »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
Riding Profiles
More Alberta Votes Headlines »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
