Lucien Bouchard said he's expecting dialogue with the natural resources minister over shale gas exploration.

This after the minister appeared to backtrack on her comments.

The former Quebec premier who heads up the association representing the industry made the comments following an annual conference in Montreal.

Natural Resources Minister Martine Ouellet told the conference of the Quebec Oil and Gas Association that she'd consider discussions with the shale gas industry.

But afterwards she told reporters that she still considers it a risky venture and would rule it out if it were in the best interests of Quebeckers.

But that didn't dissuade Bouchard.

"For me, there is one minister, one speech, the minister I heard inside there," Bouchard said.

Bouchard said they can change the negative perception of the industry with reason, science and the credibility of other shale gas developments around the world.

"Information and not disinformation," he said.

Bouchard said delaying shale gas development here would be like delaying social policies and projects that built the Quebec of today.

"To leave it in the ground is an option, of course," Bouchard said.

"Maybe we should leave in the ground mining resources, oil. But that's not how Quebec was developed, not how we created those social programs, how we established the education system, how we built modern Quebec."

Photo: Shuyee Lee