 Liberal MP David McGuinty answers questions during a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 14, 2011. (CHRIS ROUSSAKIS/QMI Agency)
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OTTAWA - A Liberal MP from Ottawa says Conservatives from Alberta don't belong in Parliament unless they adopt a more national view of the energy industry.
"They are national legislators with a national responsibility, but they come across as very, very small-p provincial individuals who are jealously guarding one industrial sector, picking the fossil fuel business and the oilsands business specifically, as one that they're going to fight to the death for," said David McGuinty.
McGuinty's frustrations boiled over after a Tuesday meeting of the Commons natural resources committee looking into energy sector innovation, dismissing the Tories as "shills" for the energy sector who lack national vision.
"They really should go back to Alberta and run either for municipal council in a city that's deeply affected by the oilsands business or go run for the Alberta legislature," he said.
With McGuinty's comments coming in the midst of the Calgary Centre federal by-election, Conservatives are firing back.
"It appears to me to be an attempt to pit Alberta against the rest of the country," said Edmonton's Brent Rathgeber. "Those types of wedge politics are never particularly helpful."
Central Alberta's Kevin Sorenson says McGuinty's rhetoric is a compliment.
"I'm quite honoured that he comes out attacking us for supporting our issues that we face back in our constituencies," he said.
Conservative MP Chris Warkentin says his province has already made up its mind about the Grits.
"The Liberals have rejected Albertans and that's why Albertans have rejected the Liberals," he said.
