A PQ minister is softening his tone after suggesting that the Harper government was conspiring to force Quebecers to move to Alberta.

Though he does say the Harper government is deliberately trying to hurt Quebec.

Minister Bernard Drainville told a conference of PQ members on Saturday that Steven Harper had a hidden motive for changing the Employment Insurance program - to force Quebecers to move west and satisfy the labour demands in Alberta.

"What counts is the tar sands industry in the west of the country," Drainville said. "We need workers over there and they are organizing to have them."

Today, Drainville is shifting his message.

“I’m not very much versed in conspiracy theories. It was an image that I used," says the minister of democratic reform.

Drainville says he wanted to express how insensible the federal government is being toward Quebec on the EI issue. At the same time, he says the Conservatives are making a planned effort to cause damage.

"I think there is a deliberate effort to adopt a measure or a reform that is going to hurt Quebec very very much."

Drainville says he does not know what the federal government's motivations might be.