Current Press Releases

BOISE, IDAHO (July 15, 2009) – The Northwest Territories has been accepted as a member of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) during the organization’s Executive Committee meeting held as part of its 19th Annual Summit in Boise, Idaho July 12-16, 2009.
PNWER is a statutory public/private partnership established in 1991. As an organization, its goals are to:

• promote greater regional collaboration;


• enhance the competitiveness of the region in both domestic and international markets;


• leverage regional influence in Ottawa and Washington D.C.; and


• achieve continued economic growth while maintaining the region's natural beauty and environment.

Other PNWER members include British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

“The Northwest Territories bring an important complement to PNWER’s leadership role in crafting and implementing cross-border public policies that generate cooperation, mutual trust and economic development that recognizes green innovation throughout the U.S. and Canadian Pacific Northwest,” incoming PNWR President, Lesil McGuire noted.

The NWT delegation at the PNWER Summit included Premier Floyd Roland, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) Bob McLeod and Mr. David Ramsay, MLA Kam Lake and Chair of the Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure (SCEDI).

NWT Premier Floyd Roland says he looks forward to having more direct communication with policymakers on both sides of the border and in participating on the PNWER Northern Pipeline Coordination Council.
“Our territory is privileged to be welcomed into PNWER,” the Premier told conference delegates in his keynote address. “Creativity, innovation and enterprise are as synonymous with the Northwest Territories as with the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. We are excited about the new relationships we will establish and the ideas and perspectives we’ll learn and the opportunities and choices we are creating for our people and businesses.”
“The partnerships and leverage that we will gain through PNWER will be beneficial in advancing key opportunities for NWT residents and businesses in areas like northern pipelines, new resource investments, tourism and infrastructure, MLA Ramsey noted. “Our membership marks a coming of age for our Territory and a milestone on our path to being an economic leader – not just in Canada but the entire Pacific Northwest region.”

More information about PNWER can be found here

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For more information contact:

Drew Williams
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier/Cabinet
Government of the Northwest Territories
Phone: (867) 669-2304