2008 Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Summit Opens in Vancouver
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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 07/20/08 -- The 2008 Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Summit kicked off today in Vancouver, marking the first of five days in which public and private sector leaders from federal, state, provincial and municipal governments will work with business and community leaders to discuss strategies that strengthen the region's economy and long-term sustainability.
PNWER's 18th Annual Summit, hosted by the Province of British Columbia, has drawn delegations from Alaska, Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Saskatchewan, Washington and the Yukon. Delegates will discuss shared regional opportunities, including climate change, energy, border management, Asia Pacific Gateway, 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, agriculture, workforce mobility and innovation.
"PNWER is a unique, bi-partisan, public and private sector forum that allows regional leaders to identify common ground on common issues," said Joan McIntyre, British Columbia Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations and co-chair of the 2008 Summit. "PNWER shows the strength and emergence of the Pacific Northwest, and is an important vehicle to bring meaningful improvements and results to our region."
"We are very pleased with the caliber of people attending the Summit, who represent communities throughout the Pacific NorthWest and a diversity of voices on issues of great importance to our region," said PNWER President, Rep. George Eskridge of Idaho. "On behalf of PNWER, I'd like to thank the Government of British Columbia for hosting the 2008 Summit, which promises to be another milestone meeting for our regional governments and stakeholders."
The Summit begins today with a meeting of PNWER's Executive Committee and an opening reception featuring a presentation by Tewanee Joseph, CEO of the Four Host First Nations.
"The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will take place within the traditional and shared traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations-the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh," said Joseph. "By bringing together leaders from government, community, business, and academic fields, the PNWER Summit will provide a strong foundation for future planning for the Pacific Region."
The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada has organized six panel discussions at the 2008 Summit, focusing on clean energy, supply chains, gateway security, innovation, education and tourism.
"The Pacific Northwest is where Asia meets North America," said Yuen Pau Woo, President and Co-CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. "This year's focus on the Asia Pacific underscores the importance of Asia for North America - in trade, innovation, education, security, energy, and beyond - and reinforces the importance of the Pacific Northwest as North America's Asia Pacific Gateway."
The 2008 PNWER Annual Summit sets a new standard for sustainability and carbon neutrality for future PNWER events and is a model for other major international conferences. Delegates registering for the Summit will be invited to register their travel data into SmartTEC (travel emission calculator) greenhouse gas emission kiosks located on site. The SmartTEC calculator helps travelers understand how their transportation choices affect the environment, adapted from the calculator used by the Province of B.C. to support its commitment to carbon-neutral government operations by 2010. The data will allow PNWER to use the 2008 Summit as a benchmark for future events and work to reduce the carbon footprint of PNWER meetings.
Monday's session will feature a green transportation showcase to highlight B.C.'s green transportation technologies for the region, including a plug-in hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, carbon cutting transportation technologies, natural gas powered buses, and more.
"Provinces and States are the laboratories of innovation in North America, and with examples like the BC-Washington enhanced driver's license, we see an important role for cross border collaboration on a number of issues from environment to border communities," said Matt Morrison. "We are excited to be here in this beautiful city, and to see first-hand some of the best practices Vancouver and British Columbia are known for."
About PNWER
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. Its member states include: Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and the Yukon. PNWER is recognized by both the United States and Canada as the "model" for regional and bi-national cooperation because of its proven success. PNWER is a respected voice and resource for our region, and provides the public and private sectors a cross-border forum for unfiltered dialogue that capitalizes upon the synergies between business leaders and government who work to advance the region's economic strength and sustainability. To learn more visit www.pnwer.org.
Contacts: Fleishman-Hillard Anna Lilly (604) 505-9048 anna.lilly@fleishman.ca Fleishman-Hillard Danica Wolfe (604) 613-4480 danica.wolfe@fleishman.ca
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