Conservative party candidate Sue Greetham says when she stated the American push for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a 'non-issue', she didn't mean it was unimportant.

'I made an off-the-cuff comment,' she told the Star Thursday. 'They took it as if I meant it was an unimportant issue. But the darn thing was that it's extremely important. I knew the policy.'

At an all-candidates' youth forum on Tuesday, Greetham made national headlines after responding to a youth's question about whether her party would support the protection of ANWR.

'I don't think there's a (Conservative) position. I haven't seen a position specifically,' Greetham said after stating the refuge was currently a non-issue.

On Wednesday, Emma Welford, a spokesperson at the Conservatives national campaign office, agreed with her the party didn't have an official stance on ANWR.

The Liberal party pounced on Greetham's comments, putting press releases on their national website stating the Conservatives were putting American interests ahead of the Canadian environment.

'The Canadian government has had a position on the protection of ANWR for at least 20 years. We oppose the American push for drilling in the reserve,' states the Liberal release.

'The Conservatives taking no position' on ANWR would represent a major reversal of Canadian policy.'

But now Greetham and the Conservatives are saying there was always an 'official stance.'

'We're protecting the lifestyle, culture of the people of the Porcupine (the Gwitchin) and the Porcupine caribou herd, which is extremely important to them,' said Greetham. 'It's just a unique cultural value to this country that we can't let go.'

According to a statement issued by the Conservatives, the party supports a 1987 Canada-U.S. agreement on the conservation of the Porcupine caribou herd.

The party stated if drilling is allowed to proceed in the coastal plains of the refuge, which are the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou, it could have devastating effects on the herd.

'I'm glad that this local campaign has had an effect on a national party,' said Liberal incumbent Larry Bagnell, who has been a vocal opponent to drilling in ANWR.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has also spoken out on the issue, assuring Yukoners Canada will pull out all the stops in protecting ANWR and the caribou. He took the issue to the United States and spoke to U.S. President George W. Bush and the Economics Club of New York about Canadian opposition.

Bagnell said the Conservatives' stance on ANWR now is a 'reversal', saying he had been 'jeered' at by the party's MPs when he spoke about the refuge in the House of Commons.

Martin has also criticized Conservative Leader Stephen Harper for previously refusing to take a public stance on ANWR.

'It's disappointing that on such an important issue, the Conservatives are having to make policy in the middle of an election campaign,' said Bagnell.

'The Americans are in charge and they said they're not dealing with it now,' Greetham said. 'If it ever started to rise again, I'd be the first advocate to build a case.'

Greetham maintained the party's previous stance that relations with the U.S. need to be the building block of protecting the refuge.

'In order to build a case for that, you have to develop good relationships with Americans, with the U.S. You have to develop a two-way respect with one another so you understand and really appreciate and respect each other,' she said. 'Then they're going to listen.'

Greetham added she had 'no idea' if the Conservatives national office had contacted her campaign headquarters following her Tuesday-night comments.