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CALGARY — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched an impassioned defence for balancing the environment and economy at a raucous town hall in the heart of oil country Tuesday.

A man wearing a shirt with “I Love Oil Sands” written on it and a hat emblazoned with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan took Trudeau to task for earlier oilsands comments.

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At a town hall in Ontario earlier this month, Trudeau was criticized for saying the oilsands would need to be phased out eventually. At the close of a Calgary cabinet retreat earlier Tuesday, he said he misspoke.

The questioner at Tuesday night’s gathering accused the prime minister of making inconsistent statements depending on whether he was in eastern or western Canada.

“You’re in Alberta right now, sir. You’re not in Ottawa,” the man shouted. “Yet when you come to Calgary, you tell people you’re sorry.

“You are either a liar or you’re confused. And I’m beginning to think it’s both.”