Anchorage -- Today, Alaska Legislators and business leaders discussed important developments in Alaska's business and governmental relationships with Alberta and the Northwest Territories. This announcement comes after the successful conclusion to a week of meetings by an Alaska delegation to Canada led by Representative Gail Phillips (R-Homer), Chair of the House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism.

"Sixteen years ago Alaska entered into trade relations with the people of the Yukon that has proven mutually beneficial to our state and our Canadian neighbors," said Representative Phillips. "I am pleased to announce that Alaska stands on the verge of recreating these successes ten-fold with our neighbors in Alberta and the Northwest Territories."

Alaskan legislators and their Canadian Legislative Assembly counterparts in these two regions have spent over a year exploring the terms of, and priorities for formal agreements, called Memoranda of Understanding. Each prospective memorandum will focus on areas of mutual interest such as indigenous Native groups, oil and gas exploration and development, construction, arctic housing, transportation, wildlife co-management, culture, tourism and education.

These latest series of meetings between representatives from our two countries drew wide, bi-partisan support from Alaska legislators.

"The cornerstone for any formal relationship with our Canadian counterparts must be a shared commitment to nurture the well-being of the indigenous people of Alaska and Canada," said Representative Reggie Joule (D-Kotzebue), a member of the delegation. "Any development of our joint resources must include the indigenous people who will be primarily impacted from that development. More than looking at the benefits to our states, provinces and nations, we must bring meaningful socio-economic growth and change to our first nations people. I believe Alaskans can learn from our eastern neighbors and I am excited that any final memorandum of understanding that our respective governments sign will emphasize our commitment to our Native people."

We have an opportunity for Alaskans to share their extensive experience in developing resources in an artic environment. Alberta, Alaska and the Northwest Territories rely heavily on exports in oil, natural gas, mining and forestry resources. In 1998, Alaska's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) totaled over $25 billion, which was primarily derived from these resources. For the same year, the cumulative GDP of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut was less than five billion.

Despite this disparity in revenues, the people of the Northwest Territories have made substantial headway in improving the quality of life for rural communities. "The farther north I traveled in Canada, the more I came to understand the similarity in needs in health care and essential services," said Representative Carl Morgan (R-Aniak). We traveled to the village of Wha Ti (pronounced WAH-tee) in the Northwest Territories. This remote community should be a role model for all Alaska's interior communities because its people have taken responsibility for developing their economic affairs to the point where they have essential services like running water and sewer. We need to import this knowledge and create in Alaska the economic base that is essential to make all our communities self-sufficient."

One area in which Alaska is starting to make progress involves Arctic housing. International cooperation has resulted in low income housing in Stebbins, Alaska, built by a Yellowknife consortium. The project marks the first of many collaborative efforts between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.

"All of the delegation members expressed excitement about the opportunities that cooperative relationships can bring to both our countries, said Representative Phillips. "Industry representatives had a rare opportunity to meet with their legislative and business counterparts to build and maintain support of Alaska's natural gas development projects. The meetings held in Calgary, Edmonton and Yellowknife created a forum for candid conversations between the government and private sectors for issues common to development."

These sentiments were reflected by other legislative members of the delegation. Senate President Drue Pearce has spearheaded a significant portion of Alaska's legislative effort to open a new chapter in natural gas development in Alaska. "Any meaningful discussion on natural gas production will be affected by Representative Phillips' efforts to strengthen our ties to Canada," said Pearce. "There is demand for arctic gas and the technology to bring this gas to market exists. It is time to initiate an international dialogue on a Trans-North American pipeline system. Formalizing development strategies with our Canadian counterparts on matters such as cooperative permitting agreements is the next logical step in this process."

Representative Jeannette James (R-North Pole) has focused her efforts on Alaska's railroad system. "In Edmonton I met several people who expressed excitement over creating a railroad, utilities and natural gas pipeline corridor," said James. "This concept is seeing increased support by our Congressional delegation, the state legislature and industry giants. I plan to work hard in the coming months to advance such multiuse corridors to access resources and connect places like Delta and important population centers in Alaska and throughout Canada."

"I am excited that in a time where increased globalization is an economic necessity in private sector businesses like the oil industry that we can adapt a similar concept to benefit Alaska and Canada," said Representative Phillips. "We have the resources and the technology to develop these resources. By working together we have within our reach the ability to create a new era of economic prosperity for this state and in the process we can improve the quality of life for all Alaskans."

Broadcasters note: Audio comments are available on the Majority Actuality line, 1-800-478-6540
= Gail Phillips, 82 K = Gail Phillips, 99 K
= Drue Pearce, 68 K = Charles Brauer, VP Marketing - ASRC, 86 K

Attachments:

• Presentation comparing similarities and differences between Alaska and the Northwest Territories., 09-26-00
• Representative Jeannette James' Rail Link to Lower 48 Conference Documents., 01-20-00
• Alberta Economic Development Department official website.
• Northwest Territories' Community Economic Development Services website.