By Mikel Chavers
Every state needs to have an eye toward international issues—because when it comes to operating successfully in a global economy, states can no longer afford to stay within their own borders, or even their own countries.
That’s according to speakers at Sunday’s International Committee Meeting.
The Council of State Governments’ international programs have historically focused on borders and trade issues, “but there’s a lot more that affects states in the international community,” said Chris Whatley, director of the Washington, D.C., office.
He believes an eye to international issues is beneficial for state government officials. “Enriching international exposure that will help them go back home and legislate better,” Whatley said.
CSG facilitates various international programs in the regional offices, particularly in the CSG Eastern Regional Conference and CSG-WEST.
With an eye to neighbors in North America, here’s an update of what’s going on in the international community:
Alberta, Canada: David Kettles, director of U.S. relations for the Alberta government told Sunday’s International Committee that trade is a huge issue for his province. The vast majority of the province’s exports go down a pipeline into U.S., he said. Alberta generates 1.3 million barrels of oil a day but is looking to increase that.
Alberta is considering processes to remove the oil in the oil sands formations in environmentally secure way. “Our concern is the environment first and foremost and not degrading the area,” Kettles said.
Quebec, Canada: The down economy and financial crisis in the U.S. and worldwide has trickled down and is affecting Quebec. “We were spared in 2008 the effects of the financial crisis, but 2009 is shaping up to be a very difficult year due to conditions in the United States and Ontario,” said Francois Ouimet of the National Assembly of Quebec. The U.S. and Ontario are the province’s main trading partners. The auto, manufacturing, mining and financial sector shave been the hardest hit as far as job losses, Ouimet said.
“For the first time in a number of years—like many provinces—there will be a deficit in the budget.”
There may be a bright spot, however, in Quebec’s new green economy and it could affect the U.S. A planned hydroelectric project would have the capacity of 1.5 terawatts or 1,550 megawatts. Electricity would be produced by a series of four dams and could supply electricity to the U.S. if transmission lines were upgraded.
Saskatchewan, Canada: “We have a lot of similarities with the Midwest states,” said Dan Toth, the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. “Of course the issues of trade are very important to us.” His province shares a border with North Dakota and there have been some oil discoveries in the southern region of the province, Toth said. There have also been major developments in the Uranium industry, Toth said. He hopes his province will focus on not only on uranium but also on wind energy.
Mexico: “The Mexico and U.S. relationship is a rich one,” said Ricardo Pineda Albarran, the Mexican Consul for Idaho. Because of a long history of trade, the relationship between the two countries is also an important one, he said. But drug trafficking and organized crime is a great menace for a healthy relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, he said.
“Violence is really associated with drug dealing at the border,” Albarran said. But he believes Mexico’s involvement with CSG helps to foster healthy communication. “We can recognize here what the association of CSG has done up to now to better communicate.”
There’s also been the problem of the H1N1 flu virus outbreak in Mexico. The virus cost the Mexican government $4 billion so far, according to Albarran. Because of the impact of less tourism and travel on the economy and the economic downturn worldwide, “We are in real bad shape in the coming two years,” he said.
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