CALGARY -- Alberta's Opposition United Conservative leader says if he becomes premier, he'll set up a war room to take on critics of the province's energy industry in real time.

Jason Kenney says what he calls his fight-back strategy would also include paying legal bills for Indigenous communities that are in favour of resource development.

And he says he'd take aim at charitable groups that want to shut down Alberta's energy industry.

Kenney says he'd ask his attorney general to investigate violations of charity laws and send the evidence to the Canada Revenue Agency.

He says he'd urge the heads of major energy companies to actively speak up for their industry.

Kenney says if he wins next year's election, the provincial government would not to do business with banks that have boycotted the oilsands and any provinces that put up roadblocks would suffer consequences.

"It's time for us to identify our greatest points of leverage on these issues," Kenney said Thursday at the Energy Relaunch conference in Calgary.