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“I would absolutely approve it, 100 per cent, but I would want a better deal,” he said in May.

“I want it built, but I want a piece of the profits. That’s how we’re going to make our country rich again.”

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Trump to move swiftly to approve Keystone, which would ship 800,000 barrels a day of crude from Alberta to the U.S.

Notley said Alberta officials would do their due diligence in making the case for Keystone, but ultimately her preference is for a Canadian pipeline such as Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline or TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline.

“We’ll be talking to them to see what we can do to enhance their case at all levels,” she said of TransCanada’s Keystone project.

But Wildrose opposition leader Brian Jean said that stance is not nearly good enough, and Notley’s seeming indifference to Keystone will cost Alberta jobs and potential investment.

“I think Albertans deserve a premier who stands up for the energy sector,” he said.

“It’s very unfortunate when faced with a clear yes or no question, she waffles and gives vague answers.”

Jean said Alberta will benefit from any and all pipelines connecting Alberta to North American customers, and the NDP should champion Keystone and any other pipeline proposal that “doesn’t require one public dollar.”

Meanwhile, Jean said a team of Wildrose members are planning to travel to Washington D.C., New York and Toronto in the new year to lobby officials on the importance of moving forward on pipeline projects.

“We want to make that pitch,” he said.

“This oil, when we dig it up doesn’t belong to some dictator or foreign ruler, it belongs to Albertans.”

slogan@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @ShawnLogan403