Best Friends

BEST FRIENDSAlliances across borders in the Pacific Northwest: 

BEST FRIENDS Alliances across borders in the Pacific Northwest Sukumar Periwal University of Washington 2006

Key Points: 

Key Points Cross-border cooperation in the Pacific Northwest is a role model for other regions in North America and other parts of the world Cross-border regional cooperation is yielding tangible results – increasing clout and visibility for regional priorities Targeted investment in the region’s social capital could significantly increase innovation, wealth and security

What’s special about regional cooperation in the Pacific Northwest?: 

What’s special about regional cooperation in the Pacific Northwest? Strategic location Sustainability Structure

Strategic location: 

Strategic location Gateway between North America and the Asia Pacific region Cross-border region bridging two major developed countries (Canada and the United States) A core hub (Vancouver-Seattle corridor), linked to high-growth nodes (Calgary, Edmonton, Boise, Portland, Victoria)

Sustainability: 

Sustainability Focus on economic growth and environmental quality Natural resources and high technology/services Activists and corporate commitment Informed citizens and government resources Showcases GLOBE conferences 2010 Winter Olympics

Structure: 

Structure ‘Neural network’ (regional organizations) Pacific North West Economic Region (PNWER) Pacific North West Environmental Directors (PNWED) Pacific North West Regional Economic Conference (PNWREC) Cascadia Mayors’ Conference ‘Bones’ (formal cooperation agreements) Bilateral agreements between Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia and Montana Multilateral agreements on firefighting and emergency management ‘Muscles’ (sector-specific working groups and issue-specific coalitions) BC/WA Environmental Cooperation Council BC/WA Working Group on border documents BESTT Coalition

What are the benefits of regional cooperation?: 

What are the benefits of regional cooperation? Increasing prosperity through regulatory cooperation and promoting cross-border trade and investment Active role in resolving border issues and trade conflicts Enhancing North America’s global competitiveness

Increasing prosperity: 

Increasing prosperity Regulatory cooperation Mutual recognition of professional credentials (e.g. engineers) Trade, investment and labour mobility agreements (e.g. BC-AB TILMA) Increasing regional input to North American Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) Promoting cross-border trade and investment Raising profile of Canadian business sectors for investment (e.g. energy, high technology) 2010 Olympics business and procurement opportunities Maintaining and increasing cross-border tourism

Resolving conflicts: 

Resolving conflicts Participating in regional dialogue has enabled legislators and private sector leaders to: Build trust through regular interaction Understand each other’s perspective Strengthen personal ties Let go of suspicion and defensiveness Identify common interests Assess cost/benefits of cooperating (or not) Find solutions Contribute regional perspective to national dialogue Revitalize institutions

Conflict: Major regional contributions: 

Conflict: Major regional contributions Trade disputes Softwood lumber Cattle exports/BSE Border security Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (BESTT advocacy) BC-Washington Enhanced Drivers’ License pilot project NEXUS uptake Transboundary environmental issues Water (Columbia, St Mary/Milk, Flathead) Victoria sewage

Global competitiveness: Context: 

Global competitiveness: Context Shift of gravity towards the Asia Pacific region High economic growth in China, India, South East Asia Resurgence of Japanese economy New information and communication technologies (‘flattening the world’) Global competition for creative talent

How can regional cooperation in the Pacific Northwest enhance North America’s global competitiveness?: 

How can regional cooperation in the Pacific Northwest enhance North America’s global competitiveness? Increased innovation and wealth creation Stronger capacity to respond and recover from emerging challenges Renewing and enhancing existing social capital

Innovation and wealth creation: 

Innovation and wealth creation ‘Clusters’ lead to higher levels of efficiency, innovation and business start-ups Advantage of federal structure: states and provinces as laboratories of public policy innovation and competitiveness Canada and the U.S. are complementary (similar and yet different enough to encourage business cross-fertilization and tourism) Attracting creative people – key asset in new economy

Capacity to respond and recover: 

Capacity to respond and recover Increased information and resource sharing on public health issues (e.g. pandemic preparedness) More ability to influence national decision-making on border closure in time of crisis Networks are ‘adaptive systems’ generating solutions for local issues and complex global challenges (e.g. climate change)

Renewing social capital: 

Renewing social capital “Creative people choose regions.” (Richard Florida) Magnets for movement: economic opportunities and quality of life Creative class attracted to locations with high levels of visible diversity and reputation for tolerance (such as Seattle, Vancouver and other Pacific Northwest locations) Proximity to Asia Pacific region and large diaspora communities is a major asset in an increasingly globalized networked world

The case for increased regional cooperation: 

The case for increased regional cooperation Regional cooperation is reaching a tipping point that can yield significantly higher results with targeted investment Measures: Expected economic gains from BC-Alberta trade, investment, and labour mobility agreement, and similar discussions between BC and Washington Recognition of PNWER and BESTT coalition in Ottawa and Washington DC as respected voices on border security, critical infrastructure protection and energy issues Increased interest by major corporations (e.g. Microsoft, Trans-Canada) in regional cooperation Cooperative resolution of transboundary environmental conflicts (e.g. Victoria sewage, Flathead) Other global regions want to connect with Pacific Northwest (e.g. Hong Kong/Guangdong, Rotterdam and Dubai)

What is needed: targeted investment in regional social capital: 

What is needed: targeted investment in regional social capital Need to increase public awareness and support for regional initiatives Lesson from public disconnect with European integration Strengthening infrastructure for cooperative efforts Increased synergy through connecting regional groups Use 2010 to showcase the region to the world

Strategic investments: 

Strategic investments Increased media exposure for regional champions (elected officials, business leaders and opinion-makers) More interactive venues (town halls, new media sites) on topics of regional concern (e.g. border, sustainability) Support for third party validators (e.g. cross-border thinktanks, academic policy institutes) to enhance credibility of key regional messages ‘Thicker’ networks – greater engagement between regional groups (e.g. enhanced linkages between PNWER and Cascadia Mayors Conference) Wider engagement with high profile constituencies (e.g. First Nations, environmental groups)