That's "balderdash," said James Rybchuk, the Conservatives' campaign co-chair in Saskatchewan.
On Friday, NDP Leader Jack Layton told a Regina campaign rally that an energy deal of the kind that Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador received from Ottawa should be extended to Saskatchewan, and that the 13 Tory MPs from the province weren't able to get it done.
Rybchuk said it was the Conservatives and not the New Democrats who introduced a motion in Parliament to extend the benefits of the Atlantic Energy Accord to other provinces.
As well, Rybchuk said, Layton propped up the Liberal minority government and had the chance to put pressure on it over Saskatchewan's concerns.
"Why didn't he do anything about it when he was cutting his backroom deals with the Liberals?" Rybchuk said. "He didn't advance one Saskatchewan issue."
NDP candidate Jo-Anne Dusel, who's running in the Palliser riding, said Liberal Leader Paul Martin seems afraid to come to Saskatchewan.
Liberal Ralph Goodale said last week his government has already struck a panel to address the equalization issue that will report back in the spring. He said Layton hasn't released any details about the kind of deal he would put on the table.
The NDP was shut out of Saskatchewan in the 2004 election as the Tories took 13 of 14 seats.
