Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.CODIE MCLACHLAN/The Canadian Press
Alberta's Wildrose party says it doesn't regret characterizing Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne's province as a needy fiscal basket case, but says it was a mistake to say it to her face in the legislature.
Nathan Cooper says the party never intended to embarrass Wynne or Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, but says things just got out of hand.
During question period on Thursday, as Wynne sat in the gallery, Wildrose finance critic Derek Fildebrandt lambasted Ontario's debt and spending.
Fildebrandt pointed out that Ontario is now a have-not province needing equalization payments, and that Wynne's government was setting an example Alberta should not follow.
Cooper says Wildrose Leader Brian Jean signed off on the comments, but the plan was to say them thinking Wynne would not be in the gallery.
Fildebrandt's comments didn't come until Wynne had been sitting in the gallery for half an hour, but Cooper says by then the question and the comments were locked in and couldn't be changed.