EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach will be meeting with one of the most prominent lawmakers in the U.S. next week to discuss the province's oilsands.

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, will also meet with environmental and aboriginal groups during her trip to Ottawa next Wednesday and Thursday.

"It's an excellent opportunity for the premier to meet with key U.S. lawmaker and tell her about the work we're doing in the oilsands and about Alberta's role in the U.S. energy supply," said Jerry Bellika, spokesman for the premier, on Friday.

"We want to cut through the rhetoric and provide some factual information about what actually does happen in the oilsands."

For its part, the Pembina Institute plans to argue that Alberta has to improve how it plans and monitors the developments.

"Alberta and Canada are developing the oilsands in the absence of any plan to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions," said Marlo Reynolds, who will represent the environmental think-tank at the discussion.

"The U.S. is seeking energy security, but for the oilsands to be part of that we have to ensure we have environmental security."

Bellika said the meeting was set up by U.S. ambassador David Jacobson.

"It'll be an opportunity to spend an hour or two just having a good, casual conversation about the information we've got," he said.

Premiers Jean Charest of Quebec and Brad Wall of Saskatchewan have also been invited, Bellika said.