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ASSESSING COMMON ISSUES – Arctic expert John Higginbotham, Premier Sandy Silver and Alaska Lt.-Gov. Kevin Meyer (left to right) discussed a realm of subjects this week at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) annual summit in Calgary. Photo courtesy GOVERNMENT OF YUKON

Premier attended Pacific Northwest Economic Region summit

Premier Sandy Silver attended the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) annual summit in Calgary this week.

By Whitehorse Star on July 28, 2022

Premier Sandy Silver attended the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) annual summit in Calgary this week.

The conference brought together public and private sector leaders from 10 jurisdictions.

The delegates discussed issues that are common across territorial, provincial and state boundaries in the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the United States.

Among were climate change and clean energy; Arctic security; infrastructure development; economic recovery; agriculture; supply chains; and labour force challenges.

Silver was a featured speaker on a panel entitled Economic Development Challenges in a Volatile Arctic.

He was joined by Alaska Lt.-Gov. Kevin Meyer and Caroline Wawzonek, the Northwest Territories’ Finance and Industry, Tourism and Investment minister.

Silver, who travelled to the event with a team of government officials, discussed the importance of investments in northern communities to support a strong, secure and sovereign Arctic.

He also touched on the Yukon’s efforts to be part of a secure supply chain for the minerals needed to tackle climate change and support the green energy transition.

The panel discussion was moderated by John Higginbotham, an Arctic expert and senior fellow at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa.

Silver also had meetings with diplomatic leaders from Canada and the U.S. to discuss critical minerals, Arctic sovereignty, climate change, strategic infrastructure, the Shakwak highway, tourism and economic development opportunities.

These included meetings with Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S.; Canada’s Consul General in Seattle, Mia Yen; the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen and the U.S. Consul General in Calgary, Holly Waeger Monster.

“The PNWER summit brings together legislators and private sector leaders to discuss regional priorities and foster cross-border collaboration,” Silver said in a statement.

“As leaders look to build resiliency and advance economic recovery, it is important to share the Yukon’s vision of a secure and prosperous Arctic and highlight the contributions our territory can make to a greener future within Canada and abroad.”

As premier, he told the Star Tuesday from Calgary, “exchanging business cards and having conversations was a fantastic opportunity for me.”

He said he also raised the connections between climate change and the economy in the communities, the territory’s aggressive pursuit of clean energy options, and the importance that port operations in Skagway have on the Yukon’s economy.

He also raised using collaborative care to encourage healthy communities, and Arctic sovereignty and security, which, he pointed out, “is linked to the vitality of the North. We didn’t have to explain that too much.”

The escalating cost of living and the importance of well-functioning airports and telcommunications systems were also raised, he added.

“We did our best to be the beacon,” he said. “You come to these things cautiously optimistic.”

It’s important for business interests to know, and to relay to their shareholders, that the most remote communities in the North are extremely resilient, he added.

All in all, the premier said, “It was a profound honour to be here.”

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region members are Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

The Yukon joined PNWER in 1994.

PNWER’s mission is to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region, while maintaining and enhancing our natural environment.

Comments (11)

Up 3 Down 0

Groucho d'North on Aug 3, 2022 at 1:18 pm

@Jim Morrison
Prime Minister Trudeau is not running around like Chicken Little, rather he is flying here and there on the tax-payer dime spewing vast amounts of CO2 born from jet fuel. He doesn't pay for the fuel or the carbon taxes on it either, we do. Now he and his family are languishing in Costa Rica for yet another vacation he has not earned, and certainly one he will not be paying for out of his own pocket like regular Canadian citizens are obliged to do.
Like Mel Brooks said: "It's good to be the King."

Up 23 Down 6

Jim Morrison on Jul 29, 2022 at 3:16 pm

Adam Morrison on Jul 29, 2022 at 5:56 am:

What is even ‘stupider’ is the fact that the rest of the world is increasing their Carbon Footprints to a full on sprint while Trudeau runs around like chicken little - The sky is falling, the sky is falling… Bankrupting, starving, dividing, and punitively controlling most Canadians by the warm glow of the gaslight…

Our impact on climate change was and is negligible, and even smaller now as the rest of the world enjoys a return to somewhat socioeconomic normalcy with a return to increases in climate change related activity.

Liberal voters should be required to serve a 4 - 5 term of isolated self-reflection to consider the error of their ways - They must do this with no possessions - Let’s see how happy they are with nothing!?!?

Up 23 Down 3

Groucho d'North on Jul 29, 2022 at 3:05 pm

As I say - not as I do - the Liberal credo

Up 9 Down 0

I said pardon on Jul 29, 2022 at 12:57 pm

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region is also known as FEMA region 10.
Did you know that the Yukon signed on to FEMA in 1994..........

Up 9 Down 5

MITCH on Jul 29, 2022 at 12:38 pm

Damn rights Adam, everything is a heat dome or a climate emergency on the weather channel. breathing smoke is carcinogenic, fires are because of climate change, flooding is because of climate change, but they say carbon sequestration will save us, so I say this: let's find out.

Up 28 Down 8

Adam Morrison on Jul 29, 2022 at 5:56 am

These Liberals are leaving pretty large carbon footprints for people telling the rest of us to reduce our own. Prediction: They will now start relentlessly hammering us with climate change nonsense in the same way they did with the pandemic. Your news feed tickers will start to show grim death counts caused by the climate change. Individual carbon consumption tracking, climate lockdowns, and food shortages to come.

Up 28 Down 7

Juniper Jackson on Jul 28, 2022 at 10:09 pm

Liberals just don’t stop with the garbage. So..Silver says it was a wonderful opportunity for him! How so Silver..you get some job offers for after you are kicked to the curb? I paid for those opportunities for you..me and every other working fool. The least he can do is say..thank you everyone for working every day so that I can travel, I don’t like Zoom, stay in 5 star hotel, eat like a king, see the sights and get some opportunities!

Up 22 Down 8

Josey Wales on Jul 28, 2022 at 8:07 pm

Aa I zee....the SS is giving lectures eh?
The should have called it POWER
Puppets
Of
World
Engineering
Retards
...folks please wake up, the nightmare will continue until y’all do.
The SS and Emperor Blackface have gotta go
National Destruction Party, ya there...

Up 22 Down 8

Pierre on Jul 28, 2022 at 7:59 pm

"The escalating cost of living "...directly proportional to the obscene carbon tax amongst other dysfunctional climate change initiatives!

Up 31 Down 6

Richard Smith on Jul 28, 2022 at 5:39 pm

Silver went with a "team" of government officials and discussed climate change and clean energy. Isn't this a federal jurisdiction?
This could have been done by Zoom - that would have immensely benefited the environment.

Up 5 Down 30

Gordon S. on Jul 28, 2022 at 4:57 pm

Great job Sandy, wonderful representation in a very important forum to the benefit of all Yukoners.

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