Stephen Harper calls Alberta NDP a 'disaster' rejected by Albertans

Alberta Premier RachelNotleylashed back at Stephen Harper Tuesday saying her government's priority is to protect the jobs of "regular working families" rather than "wealthy Conservative friends and insiders."

On Monday Harper called Alberta's new NDP government a failed experiment, a disaster uniformly rejected by Albertans.

In a speech entirely in French, the Conservative leader criticized the Alberta government at an early federal election stop in Quebec.

Harper said the NDP has so far shown to be incapable of producing a budget and itsfirst action has been to raise taxes and fees.

"The result is a disaster," he said. "It's adisaster." One rejected by the Alberta population, he added.

Notley fired backsaying since her government was elected this spring, it replaced the province's "regressive" flat income tax and health fees.

"We replaced them with normal corporate taxes, and a normal progressive income tax system, similar to the ones Canadians have in all other provinces," she said in a written statement.

Alberta's finance minister brushed off Harper's comments.

"I'll leave comments like Mr. Harper's to the election campaign trail for people like that and just get on to doing the work that needs to be done for Alberta," he said.

The Alberta government has yet to deliver a budget since the spring election. A date for the fall sitting of the legislature has not yet been set.