OTTAWA — B.C. New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix is predicting a "businesslike" relationship with Prime Minister Stephen Harper should he win next spring's provincial election even though he's investigating ways to challenge a critical component of Harper's economic plan — Enbridge Inc.'s Northern Gateway pipeline megaproject.

Dix said Friday he's assembling a legal team headed by Vancouver lawyer Murray Rankin, a specialist in aboriginal, natural resource and environment law, to consider his options to oppose the controversial $5.5-billion pipeline proposal now before a federal review panel.

Dix also is an outspoken critic of federal policy on criminal justice, Canadian-European free trade talks and health-care transfers.

But Dix said critics misjudge him if they assume he'll follow in the footsteps of his former boss, Glen Clark, who as premier in the late '90s was the last B.C. political leader to make fed-bashing a key part of his political arsenal.

"The days of the big federal-provincial confrontations, that's over," said Dix, who was Clark's top adviser during raucous B.C.-Ottawa battles over the Pacific salmon fishery.

"He's the prime minister of Canada elected by the people of Canada, and if that changes I'll be working with the next person and I have my own views on that," he said.

"But the idea that I won't work with Harper or that I see myself as some sort of a leader of the opposition to Harper is wrong. I see myself as running to make changes in B.C. That will involve sometimes disagreeing with the federal government, but just as often working with them.

"So the relationship will be quite businesslike."

He said the world of federal-provincial relations has changed due to Harper's refusal to hold first ministers' meetings, the federal government's view that Ottawa shouldn't meddle in areas of provincial jurisdiction and Ottawa's hands-off approach to provincial health-care systems.

Dix didn't mention the role former Liberal premier Gordon Campbell played in ending a history of fed-bashing in B.C.'s political culture by using a co-operative approach to wring more cash out of Ottawa.

Dix said he could be an asset to Harper on two key issues — resolving long-standing aboriginal issues such as the B.C. land claims file, and championing national unity if the Parti Quebecois replaces the Liberals in the next Quebec election.

Dix, who is fluently bilingual, even mused about the possibility that three western premiers — Alberta's Alison Redford and Manitoba's Greg Selinger also speak French — could go to Quebec and help out in a battle to keep Canada together.

"As someone who thinks it's crucial the country stay united and remain an example to the world, I think having western premiers who can speak to that would be helpful."

But Dix doesn't hesitate to take shots at the Harper government in other areas.

Ottawa's tough-on-crime legislation, especially the new law that will jail someone for possession for as few as six marijuana plants, is going to cost the province money and endanger the public, he said.

The bill "almost certainly" will result in problems prosecuting violent criminals because of jammed court systems.