U.S. Department of Homeland Security and The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Public Consultation on Facilitating Cross-Border Business Friday, December 13

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada in coordination with The U.S. Consulate General Vancouver are having a Public Consultation on Facilitating Cross-Border Business Friday, December 13, 2013 at the Peace Arch Port of Entry - 123 Second Street – Blaine, WA 98230-4214 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (PST)

RSVP Required, to register please click here. Space is limited – one attendee per organization. This consultation follows the June 2013 release of the U.S.-Canada Beyond the Border Report, “Facilitating the Conduct of Cross-Border Business.”  A similar public consultation is being convened on December 12, 2013 in Vancouver, BC.

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Highlights from a successful Economic Leadership Forum and Legislative Leadership Academy

Thank you the over 125 regional legislators, business and government leaders who attended the 2013 Winter Meeting. The Legislative Leadership Academy concluded with a graduation recognizing the achievements of the class in understanding the practical differences between the state and provincial political systems (pictured left). Several new action items were developed during the Energy, Workforce, Transportation, Market Access, and Invasive Species working group sessions during the Economic Leadership Forum. Special thanks go to our generous sponsors for supporting this year's events. Session presentations and proceedings, action items, and photos can all be found here. To view Ian Brodie's Keynote Lunch Address click here.

 

PNWER submission for second round of the Regulatory Cooperation Council

On August 29 the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced it was seeking stakeholder input on increasing regulatory cooperation efforts between Canada and the United States. The governments were looking for recommendations on how to institutionalize regulatory cooperation between our two countries. This work will build upon the progress made in the first phase RCC launched in 2011 in conjunction with the Beyond the Border action plan. In response to this announcement, PNWER submitted a list of 20 comments to both the U.S. and Canadian federal governments from our stakeholders developed from our Idea Scale website and from multiple meetings and conference calls. To view the submission please click here. Additionally, PNWER  was signatory to a submission made by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other cross-border stakeholders. To view this submission please click here.

Thank you for attending the 23rd Annual PNWER Summit!

Thank you to our more than 500 delegates who joined us for the 23rd Annual PNWER Summit in Anchorage! From July 14 -19, participants heard from experts on both sides of the border, and brought their own state, province or territory to the table. As individual jurisdictions, we can only accomplish so much. When we work together as a region,we are unstoppable! 

See photos from the PNWER Summit on our Facebook page now, click here to view the action items developed at the Summit, and click here to view the presentations from the Summit.

Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker named PNWER President 

Senator Kevin Ranker was sworn in as the president of Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) at the 2013 Annual Summit on July 17. Prior to his promotion, Senator Ranker served as a PNWER vice-president. "I am humbled, I am honored, and above all else -- I am excited. I believe there are incredible opportunities before us in this region and I believe PNWER is the organization that is positioned to ensure we maximize each of these opportunities. PNWER is about bringing together every perspective: public, private, NGO’s to advance our shared goals and help craft regional solutions to global challenges. Here there are people united in working toward a common goal of doing what’s best for our region and its citizens.”

                     


New online forum will help develop ideas for potential next round of Beyond the Border / RCC Action Plans

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), Canadian American Business Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce are working with cross-border stakeholders to collect ideas and recommendations to forward to agencies in both the U.S. and Canada for consideration for the potential next round of the Beyond the Border and Regulatory Cooperation Council action plans. The online forum, Idea Scale, will allow  users  to submit recommendations to address issues that are an impediment to cross border business or actions to improve security between our two nations In this online "community," users can submit ideas, vote on existing ideas, or add comments. Please click here to take part in the important process of helping to shape U.S.-Canada bi-national policy.

2012 Annual Report

The PNWER 2012 Annual Report is now available! Learn more about PNWER activities throughout 2012, including the Action Items developed at our annual meetings, progress on the Arctic Caucus and energy programs. [Download PDF Annual Report Now]

Idaho intensifies role in PNWER group

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Idaho aims to boost its residents' job prospects by intensifying involvement in an economic group that spans the U.S.'s Northwestern states and five Canadian provinces. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter Thursday signed an executive order to create the Idaho Council of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. (Read the full story) ...

The Export-Import Bank of the United States is hosting a Global Access Exporter Forum from 8:30 am - noon on Monday, December 9, 2013 at Cascadia Community College. This event is tailored to address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses with 500 or fewer employees. The forum will help business leaders learn how to increase international sales as well as

• Protect against the risk of nonpayment
• Extend credit to your buyers
• Access vital working capital
• Find new markets and customers

U.S. House of Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-1) and Dave Reichert (WA-8) will provide remarks at the Forum along with other leading stakeholders.  To learn more about the forum, please click the link below.
http://www.exim.gov/newsandevents/events/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&pageID=33989

To register for this event, click the link below
http://www.exim.gov/smallbusiness/global-access-forum-registration.cfm

Cascadia Community College is sponsoring this event