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Prentice shrugs off criticism over radio show comments

Alberta Premier Jim Prentice speaks to media at a political event in Ottawa March 6, 2015. REUTERS/Blair Gable (CANADA - Tags: POLITICS)

Alberta Premier Jim Prentice says comments he made earlier this week blaming Albertans for the province’s dire fiscal situation were taken out of context by critics.

Plummeting oil prices have darkened the province’s future. On Wednesday, Prentice told a CBC radio talk show host that “in terms of who is responsible, we need only look in the mirror. Basically, all of us have had the best of everything and have not had to pay for what it costs.”

The comments were picked up quickly online and sparked some serious backlash against the premier with the #PrenticeBlamesAlbertans hashtag.

Alberta’s NDP leader Rachel Notley also chimed in and said the premier’s words were profoundly insulting, and insisted he publicly apologize.

There were no apologies Friday, only an explanation that, as is the tendency for Twitter, things got a little out of hand.

“I made a comment on a talk show and you know I think the comment was taken out of context by some people,” Prentice told reporters after delivering a speech at the annual Manning Networking Conference in Ottawa.

“What I said was, as Albertans we’re in the circumstances we’re in together, we got in it together, and the only solution is for us to get out of it together. That’s quite consistent with what I’ve been saying for some time.”

He continued by saying Alberta has some pretty significant challenges in the future.

“We intend to maintain core services for our citizens,” he said, and it’s up to everyone as citizens of the province to find solutions.

Prentice began his speech at the conference — after an address from B.C.’s Christy Clark and Yukon’s Darrell Pasloski — with a mild joke about the situation, thanking attendees for a warm welcome that afternoon.

“It’s a warmer welcome than what I’ve received on social media in the last few days,” he said, to some laughs around the room.

In his address the premier talked about the importance of free enterprise and the free market, and of conservative values.

He touched upon Alberta’s environmental record — that the province does in fact have high environmental standards and the perception it doesn’t is “unfair” — and noted Alberta is in step with Stephen Harper on the Keystone pipeline that has been vetoed by President Obama in the U.S.

He also emphasized the importance of investing in infrastructure for economic development, particularly transportation infrastructure, to move the province’s natural resources.

He wrapped up his remarks that afternoon with some words of hope.

"Don’t worry about Alberta,” Prentice told conference delegates. “We’re tough, we’re resilient, and we’ll do just fine.. We’ll be back stronger than ever."