Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon has been elected to serve as president of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) for a one-year term beginning in July 2006.

He will hold the title president-elect until that time.

PNWER is a joining of public and private representatives from the Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington state.

The group's purpose is to attempt to co-ordinate provincial and state policies and promote regional co-operation, competitiveness and awareness.

Kenyon's election marks the first time in PNWER's 16-year history that a Yukoner has held the position.

'That's a big step for us and it allows us to showcase the North by bringing various northern issues to the table even more than we had in the past,' Kenyon said Monday in a press release.

The Yukon has only been part of PNWER since 1994. In that time, there have been other Yukoners in line for the presidency in the past, Matt Morrison, executive director of PNWER, said in an interview this morning.

Cynthia Tucker, who was the MLA for Mount Lorne in Pat Duncan's Liberal government, would have held the position of president if the Liberals had not been defeated in the November 2002 election by the Yukon Party.

Kenyon's road to the presidency stemmed from a letter from Premier Dennis Fentie that informed the delegate council that Pelly-Nisutlin MLA Dean Hassard would be resigning, said Morrison.

Hassard stepped down from the position to fulfill commitments to his growing family, said Peter Carr, the cabinet spokesperson.

Hassard has been holding the position of Canadian vice-president for the last two years, said Morrison, and should have been next to become president of the organization.

Fentie asked that Kenyon replace Hassard as vice-president, but left the decision up to the council, Morrison added.

Kenyon was officially elected to the position of Canadian vice-president by the delegate council at the organization's annual summit, which took place in Seattle this past weekend.

B.C. Minister John van Dongen nominated Kenyon to fulfill the role and the rest of the council voted to permit him to finish Hassard's three-year term.

The election means Kenyon is now in line for the presidency.

However, Opposition Leader Todd Hardy said in an interview today that Kenyon's new position is not anything to get 'too excited about.'

There is a probability that an election will be called before Kenyon officially assumes the position in July 2006. With an election, there is the possibility that Kenyon may lose his Porter Creek seat in the legislature or the Yukon Party may be defeated.

PNWER's mandate requires that sitting officers on the delegate council be elected politicians, said Morrison, and if Kenyon lost his seat prior to his presidency, van Dongen would likely replace him.

Morrison added that Kenyon's presidency is not necessarily a sure thing. The official election of him as president will not take place until next year's summit in Edmonton.

Though it's highly unlikely that Kenyon would not officially earn the title of president, it is possible, he said.

The presidency alternates between Canadian and American representatives. The current president is Glenn Anderson, a representative of Washington state legislature.

Kenyon will now spend the next year travelling with Anderson and visiting every state and province in the organization's economic region.

Kenyon will also have the opportunity to visit Ottawa and Washington, D.C. to bring the region's concerns to the two countries' federal governments.

The travel and the position will involve a great deal of commitment, said Kenyon. However, he believes it will give him the opportunity to highlight the Yukon to other legislatures and stakeholders in the region.

The Yukon's now high level of involvement with PNWER will permit the territory to bring many local issues to a national and international audience, he said.

Kenyon said the appointment is a great opportunity for the Yukon.

The territory deals with many of the same issues facing other states and provinces in the region, including having an international border that goods and cargo are crossing, he said.

The presidency will allow the Yukon's concerns to be heard clearly at the table and to present the 'unique solutions' the territory and Alaska have developed to deal with various issues, said Kenyon.

'There are a multitude of issues that the Yukon faces right now,' said Hardy.

But he doesn't believe Kenyon will be able to have a great impact on border or security issues, because they're more directly dealt with by the United States.

'I can't see it having a big impact,' he said. 'But there's nothing wrong with raising the issues.'

Hardy said he believes, though, that Kenyon's time would be better spent in the territory dealing with his portfolio for the Department of Economic Development.

'I think Yukoners would prefer he put the work necessary into that,' he said.

This position could just mean an opportunity for Kenyon to travel and schmooze, said Hardy.

Kenyon said he is pleased with the roles he will play in PNWER over the next two years.

Last week, Hardy criticized the Yukon Party for not showing much interest in PNWER and sending backbenchers rather than ministers to past summits.

The appointment shows the Yukon's commitment and desire to be involved with the organization, said Kenyon.

He hopes a future summit will occur in the territory, but in the meantime, some of the working groups that are part of PNWER may have meetings in the Yukon.

'It's bringing people together,' said Kenyon.

The PNWER region has approximately 18 million residents and an annual gross regional product of $697 billion.