Governor Gregoire and Regional Leaders Discuss Energy, Homeland Security, Tourism, 2010 Winter Olympics

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2006

Olympia, WA � Governor Chris Gregoire met yesterday with officers from the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), a bi-national public/private partnership that brings together the Northwestern states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Included in the delegation were this year�s president, Washington Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City) and past president, Washington Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Anacortes).

�The issues that PNWER is raising around the region � energy, homeland security, tourism promotion, workforce development � are vital to the economy of our state and to the region,� said Governor Gregoire. �This was a good follow-up to the meeting I had with Premier Gordon Campbell back in October.�

The Canadian Consul General in Seattle, Jeffrey Parker, and the U.S. Consul General in Vancouver, Lewis Lukens, also participated in the meeting with Governor Gregoire. In July, the governor spoke at the group�s annual Summit in Seattle.

�PNWER is an incredible asset to our state and to the region,� said Rep. Anderson. �We just finished successful meetings with Governors in Alaska and Idaho, where we received very positive receptions. U.S.-Canadian relations, at least in the northwest, have never been stronger.�

Rep. Anderson, leading the delegation, raised several issues with Gov. Gregoire, including the need for bi-national regional energy planning � to ensure long-term access to low-cost power; homeland security � and the series of Blue Cascades exercises in focusing on infrastructure security; and regional tourism promotion � and how to take full advantage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

�With the energy crises we�ve had here in the region, it is vitally important that we work with all of the states and provinces in the Pacific Northwest so that we better understand the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead,� said Rep. Morris, who chairs the group�s Bi-National Regional Energy Planning Initiative.

Other participants in the meeting included the Honorable John van Dongen, Minister of State Intergovernmental Relations for British Columbia; the Honorable Rob Renner, Minister of Municipal Affairs for Alberta; and Representative George Eskridge, a member of the Idaho State House of Representatives.

Upcoming events include Blue Cascades III in Seattle (March 1 and 2), which will simulate a massive earthquake affecting the I-5 corridor from Vancouver, British Columbia to Portland, Oregon. Also, the July 16-20 PNWER 2006 annual Summit will be in Edmonton, Alberta. More information about these events can be found on the group�s website, www.pnwer.org

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region is a public/private partnership of governments, private companies and organizations in the Northwest states (Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Montana) and the Western Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon). The group, formed in 1991 by statues in the member states and provinces, seeks to promote greater regional cooperation and make the Northwest more globally competitive, while at the same time maintaining or improving the area�s environment. All governors, premiers and state legislators are members, as are private businesses, counties, economic development commissions and industry associations.

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