Stop the Hogs!

Sent for publishing June 29, 2007.

Dear Editor

…who is the biggest fish in the pond?

Mr. Wall has bigger fish to fry than what we thought was in TILMA, so don’t be fooled by the Sask Party leader’s sudden about-face on the ‘absolute necessity’ for Saskatchewan to sign onto that backroon deal.

In the June 28, 2007 Sask Party’s Press Release, Mr. Wall stated that he prefers “other modes of western economic cooperation including Saskatchewan’s involvement in the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) and he has already indicated that a Saskatchewan party government would hold joint cabinet meetings with other western provinces to explore opportunities to cooperate in areas such as health care equipment and pharmaceutical purchaces.”

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region http://www.pnwer.org/ (which covers nearly one-quarter of the US land mass and is home to 11 million people) is a collection of state and provincal delegates from Alberta, BC, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho arranged into Executive Committees, Councils. Its mission is “to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region” - in other words, to make more money!

PNWER also has nine Working Groups focussed on such things as Olympics 2010, Energy, funded by the US Dept. of Energy (translate ‘Canadian oil’), “health care innovations policies and best practices . . . to increase access and effective care while reducing health care costs as well as drug importation issues” (is this, like, private for-profit health care so championed by Brian Day, who becomes the new President of the Canadian Medical Association in August, 2007?), a Water Policy to “address important regional water issues such as the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty” (as in bulk water exports?), and last but not least, to explore “the possibility of expanding the BC-Alberta Trade, Investment and Labor Mobility Agreement concept throughout the PNWER region” - TILMA!

PNWER, established way back in 1999 and with Head Office in Seattle, WA, was initially funded by the US Economic Development Agency (EDA). It now enjoys sponsorship from multinational corporations such as ENBRIDGE, Telus, CN Rail, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Capital Health Edmonton Area, Canadian Western Bank Group, and many others, including the Seattle Office of the Consulate General of Canada (http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/s ... g_update=1 ).

Who is the biggest fish in that pond?!

Elaine Hughes
Archerwill, SK

WHAT IS PNWER?

Pacific Northwest Economic Region: http://www.pnwer.org/.

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is a regional U.S.-Canadian forum dedicated to encouraging global economic competitiveness and preserving our world-class natural environment. This forum is made up of delegates from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, British Columbia and Alberta. PNWER currently has various Councils and Committees as well as nine Working Groups interested in: Agriculture, Environmental Technology, Forest Products, Government Procurement, Recycling, Telecommunications, Tourism, Trade & Finance, and Transportation.

See Organizational Chart at bottom of page at: http://www.pnwer.org/AboutUs/Background ... fault.aspx

SPONSORSHIP

PNWER, (1999), initially funded by US Economic Development Administration (EDA), has a long list of sponsors such as ENBRIDGE, EPCOR, ENCANA, Microsoft, Telus, CN Rail, University of Lethbridge, IBM, Consulate General of Canada, Alaska Railroad, Capital Health Edmonton area, Johnson & Johnson, Alberta Environment, Canadian Western Bank Group, etc. and etc.

http://411designstreet.ultimahosts.net/ ... fault.aspx

PNWER MISSION STATEMENT

To increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region.
To coordinate provincial and state policies throughout the region; to identify and promote “models of success;” and to serve as a conduit to exchange information.

PNWER Mission Statement Goals

- Promote greater regional collaboration
- Enhance the competitiveness of the region in both domestic and international markets
- Leverage regional influence in Ottawa and Washington D.C.
- Achieve continued economic growth while maintaining the region’s natural beauty and environment

PNWER Working Groups at:

http://www.pnwer.org/ProgramAreas/Worki ... fault.aspx

- Tourism - Olympics 2010 - The Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) is dedicated to increasing regional economic development in the race for 2010 Winter Olympics. With a mission of introducing the world to opportunity in the Pacific Northwest, PNWER created the 2010 Coordinating Council to develop coordination of efforts between Pacific Northwest states/provinces, and relevant organizations to develop and execute a regional business plan for the 2010 Olympics and other relevant tourism initiatives.

Major Program Initiatives: TerraNW Regional Promotion Program

TerraNW is an economic development, sports and tourism program built around winter sports. With a mission of introducing the world to opportunity in the Canadian and US Pacific Northwest, TerraNW aims to connect national teams and elite athletes with sustainable training, competition and marketing opportunity as they prepare for international events, including the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Under the guidance of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, TerraNW partners include the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia and the U.S. States of Idaho, Oregon and Washington);

- Agriculture (Active on livestock health issues, such as animal identification and the sharing of best practices);

- Border Issues (Focuses on ensuring greater security and mobility for goods and services across the Canada-US border);

- Energy I and II (With funding from the US Department of Energy, Alberta Ministry of Energy, and BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, brings together key industry leaders from both countries to examine supply and demand issues, transmission, permitting across multiple jurisdictions, and many issues that must be dealt with to secure efficient, reliable, low cost and environmentally safe energy supply for our future; Energy II identifies emerging and renewable energy technologies and addresses related policy issues);

- Environment (Promotes coordinated research,development and marketing of environmental technologies and services. Also active on marine air pollution issues);

- Forestry (Has looked at sustainable forest practices in each jurisdiction, has worked on developing cross-border mutual aid agreements for firefighting. In 2005 PNWER’s Forestry Working Group met jointly with the Western Legislative Forestry Task Force);

- Health Care (With private sector support, is preparing the first bi-annual regional healthcare update to serve as a reference regarding health care innovations policies and best practices. Focused on methods for states and provinces to increase access and effective care while reducing healthcare costs. Has also addressed drug importation issues);

- High Tech (With funding from the Economic Development Administration (US Dep’t of Commerce), has initiated a new forum for researchers, businesses and students to work collaboratively in the exchange and commercialization of research and ideas - providing a platform to develop the innovation, collaboration and capital needed for future wealth creation and growth opportunities);

- Homeland Security (With funding from a wide range of public and private sector sources, has brought together hundreds of public and private sector leaders in a series of infrastructure interdependencies exercises called Blue Cascades (focused on cyber security, pandemic preparedness and natural disasters) designed to make this region more disaster resilient. Canada’s Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and the US Department of Homeland Security have recognized PNWER for its leadership role in this effort. PNWER recently launched the Center for Disaster Resilience);

- Invasive Species (Has been working to encourage the development of Invasive Species Councils in each jurisdiction and to foster greater collaboration throughout the region. Washington state established the Washington Invasive Species Council in 2006, based in part on model legislation developed by PNWER);

- Sustainable Development (Identifies best practices for environmental sustainability to improve the quality of life in the region as well as foster sustainable economic development. Is addressing the mountain pine beetle infestation and developing a sustainability showcase for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver);

- Telecommunications (Identifies potential multi-jurisdictional uses of new technologies in the area of emergency communications. Held an alternate resilient communications workshop in October 2006);

- Trade & Economic Development (Has encouraged the promotion of regional clusters, and the importance of collaboration across borders. Is exploring the possibility of expanding the BC-Alberta Trade, Investment and Labor Mobility Agreement concept throughout the PNWER region. Many of the states and provinces are each other’s largest trading partners);

- Transportation (Focuses on the infrastructure of our major corridors and gateways, with a special interest on border infrastructure. Brings together public and private, state/provincial and federal officials to address key issues of transportation management, including new technologies to address the increased flow of goods and services through our ports and across our borders);

- Water Policy (Is beginning a dialogue to address important regional water issues such as the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty);

- Workforce Development (Is identifying the 1) barriers to addressing labor shortages, 2) the key stakeholders, and 3) specific actions that can be implemented to alleviate these shortages. How can we train and retrain the skilled workforce that will be needed to fuel the growth of tomorrow? Where are the best practices of industry/government cooperation? How can we ensure greater professional mobility in terms of licensing requirements, as many projects cross multiple jurisdictions?).