TORONTO — One of Canada's most outspoken political leaders is giving Stephen Harper a B grade for his performance so far as prime minister.

As far as Ralph Klein is concerned, Harper's major failing is in the department of media relations.

"I believe some of the things he's done are good... but his relationship with the media is not all it should be," the Alberta premier said Thursday following a closed-door speech on energy policy in Toronto.

Klein said Harper should be more like him and make himself more available to the nation's media corps.

''I accommodate the media. I was in the media. I know that it's nothing that I say that's going to get the media attention. It's always the reaction.''

Besides Harper's strained relationship with members of the media, Klein said the prime minister has been good for Alberta.

''His fiscal and social policies have been good for our province,'' he said.

While his government has yet to fully examine the Conservative plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Klein said even that appears to be in line with Alberta's policies.

"We are a carbon-based economy,'' Klein said. "We do produce CO2 perhaps more than any other province, but we are cognizant of the fact we produce a lot of gas and we have to do something to reduce emissions.''

Klein, who has described federal Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae as "dumb when it comes to politics,'' said he's not supporting anyone in the race to lead the party.