HALIFAX — The escalating bitumen brawl between Alberta and British Columbia over the Northern Gateway pipeline is threatening to derail the annual premiers meeting just as it begins — with B.C.'s Christy Clark urging the Alberta and federal governments to negotiate with her province.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford said she's willing to discuss the matter with Clark at a later date, but stressed that she "is not going to blink on royalties."

Clark and Redford saw each other for the first time Wednesday since British Columbia demanded earlier this week its "fair share" of economic benefits before it will support the controversial oilsands pipeline.

The war of words between the two premiers heated up on the first day of the annual premiers meetings in Halifax, as Clark called on the Alberta and federal governments to resolve the dispute over B.C.'s demand for energy royalties that would come from building the pipeline.

"My basic request is for Alberta and Canada to come to the table and sit down with British Columbia and work to figure out how we can resolve this," Clark told reporters after meeting with other premiers and aboriginal leaders in Lunenburg, N.S.

"If that's going to cause such a big problem that there are trade barriers, there is a very easy way to solve that — no pipeline."

Clark wouldn't specify how much money her province wants from the project, saying: "I'm not going to negotiate that in public."

Meanwhile, B.C. NDP leader Adrian Dix criticized the Liberal government for taking a different stance every week on the pipeline project, and said it is "simply about political tactics."

"They've said as long as we can clear up the destruction of the coast ... we're okay with it. We're prepared to accept the project if you give us a fistful of dollars," Dix said in Vancouver. "I don't think that position is credible or helpful to British Columbians.

Redford said she's open to discussing the issue further with Clark, but doesn't believe the premiers conference is the appropriate time and place to do so.

She reiterated her position that Alberta will not share its royalties or tax revenue with B.C., adding it would effectively rewrite the rules of Confederation.

"Royalties from Alberta citizens are off the table. It doesn't mean we're not going to talk ... We're very happy to talk but we're not going to talk about Alberta royalties," Redford said in an interview. "The premier of Alberta is not going to blink on royalties."

Redford said there are plenty of ways B.C. can gain financially out of the pipeline that don't include going after another province's tax revenue, including seeking more economic benefits from project proponent Enbridge.

"To characterize this entire discussion as being about the royalties that flow to Alberta, I don't think is constructive and I don't think it's in the best interests of Canada," she added. "It's not for Alberta to enhance British Columbia's economic benefit."

The federal government and several other provinces appear to be siding with Alberta on the matter. The Conservative government has repeatedly pushed the importance of building the pipeline to expand Canada's energy export markets beyond just the United States.