Premier Ed Stelmach speaks to reporters Tuesday at Government House in Edmonton. (CBC) Two cabinet ministers who recently criticized the decision to prosecute Syncrude for the deaths of 1,600 ducks two years ago do not represent the position of the province of Alberta, Premier Ed Stelmach said Tuesday.

"They're not speaking for what we want to achieve as the government," Stelmach said, when asked about recent comments made by Energy Minister Ron Liepert and Infrastructure Minister Ray Danyluk.

On June 25, Alberta provincial court Judge Ken Tjosvold found Syncrude guilty of federal and provincial environmental charges for failing to prevent migratory birds from landing on the toxic tailings lake north of Fort McMurray.

Liepert told reporters he thought the trial was overpublicized and that Alberta had bigger issues to deal with. Danyluk suggested that Syncrude wasn't to blame in the incident.

Stelmach called the remarks "unfortunate."

Alberta wants to reduce its carbon footprint and deal with the number of tailings ponds in the province, he added.

Lawyers in the Syncrude case will make legal arguments on Aug. 20 as to whether convictions should be entered on both the federal and provincial charges since they are so similar in nature.

With files from The Canadian Press