From June 29-July 1, 2011, Mr. Gord Brown, M.P., Co-Chair,
represented the Canadian Section of the Canada-United States
Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) at the annual meeting of the Western Governors’
Association (WGA) in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He was accompanied by Ms. June
Dewetering, Senior Advisor to the Canadian Section.
THE EVENT
The Western Governors’ Association includes the governors from 19
US western states (see the Appendix) as well as from American Samoa, Guam and
the Northern Mariana Islands. The Canadian premiers from British Columbia,
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba also participate in the WGA’s activities.
The WGA uses six basic strategies to achieve
its goals:
develop and communicate regional
policy
serve as a leadership forum
build regional capacity
conduct research and disseminate
findings
form coalitions and partnerships
in order to advance regional interests
build public understanding and support for regional
issues and policy positions.
Each year, the WGA holds an annual meeting. The 2011 meeting was
chaired by Governor Butch Otter (Idaho). Governors Jan Brewer (Arizona),
Christine Gregoire (Washington), Gary Herbert (Utah), John Hickenlooper
(Colorado), John Kitzhaber (Oregon), Matt Mead (Wyoming) and Brian Schweitzer
(Montana) also attended the meeting, as did Premier Christy Clark (British
Columbia).
The next annual meeting, which will be chaired by Governor
Gregoire, will be held in June 2012 in Washington. The focus for Governor
Gregoire’s year as WGA chair is her “Get Out West!” initiative.
DELEGATION OBJECTIVES FOR THE EVENT
Canada and the 19 US states in the WGA share
a mutually beneficial relationship. According to recent figures, more than 2.7
million jobs in those states rely on Canada-US trade. Annual bilateral merchandise
trade was recently valued at almost US$103 billion: about US$39.2 billion was
exported from the 19 states to Canada, while they imported more than US$63.8
billion from Canada. Residents of Canada and the 19 WGA states also visit each
other frequently. Recent data suggest that, in a 12-month period, Canadians
made more than 8.6 million visits to the 19 WGA states and spent almost US$4.6
billion, while residents of these states made more than 3.5 million visits to
Canada and spent more than US$1.8 billion.
The Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group aims to find
points of convergence in respective national policies, to initiate dialogue on
points of divergence, to encourage the exchange of information, and to promote
better understanding among legislators on shared issues of concern. In addition
to regular meetings with their federal counterparts, in recent years, members
of the Canadian Section of the IPG have attended national and regional meetings
of governors as well. At these events, Canadian delegates take the opportunity
to engage in the conversations that will help achieve the Canadian Section’s
objectives, and to communicate the nature and scope of the bilateral
relationship.
The Canadian Section of the IPG intends to participate at future
annual meetings of the WGA and to continue its work in advocating Canadian
interests.
ACTIVITIES DURING THE EVENT
During the 2011 annual meeting, the WGA held the following
keynote, plenary and roundtable presentations and discussions:
·Opening Keynote: Coach Chris Peterson, Boise State Broncos
·Plenary I: Increasing Educational and Career Opportunities for
Veterans
·Plenary II: Restoring and Managing the Health of Forests in the
West
·Keynote II: Honourable Gary Doer, Ambassador of Canada to the United
States of America
·Western States and NOAA Working Together
·Plenary III: Reducing Energy Demand by Improving Energy Efficiency
·Roundtable Discussion: Developing Electrical Transmission for the
Future of the West.
This report summarizes the
presentations and discussions at the 2011 meeting.
OPENING KEYNOTE: COACH CHRIS
PETERSON, BOISE STATE BRONCOS
Chris Peterson, Boise
State University
in
response to a question about the key characteristics of successful teams,
organizations and people, the answer is: nothing in particular and
everything in general
the
formula for team success has four components:
Øtalent, ability,
experience
Øa culture that
motivates
Øpreparation
Øconfidence
there
are certain key principles to keep in mind when establishing a motivational
culture:
Øevery team or
organization has a culture that is chosen by its participants and that includes
attitudes, behaviours, relationships, etc.
Øculture starts at the
top with the leader(s) of the team or organization, and can be established by
using power – such as position or “might” – or by using authority – such as
personal influence that compels people to do what the leader wants them to do
Øthose who lead should
be facilitators of the culture rather than the focus of it, and should keep the
lines of communication open; moreover, they need to be “in the trenches” or
they will not be “in the loop”
Øunderstand what
people want, and recognize that people want to be around capable people; often,
people want autonomy and they want to make an impact
although
the use of power to establish a team’s or organization’s culture gets
results more quickly than does the use of authority, it may hurt
relationships; although the use of authority to establish the culture
takes relatively longer and requires trust, the culture lasts longer and
has the benefit of establishing relationships
the
decision about whether to use power or authority to establish a team’s or
organization’s culture depends on “where the culture is currently” as well
as where it needs to be and how soon it needs to be there
if
the correct culture is established, the rewards “take care of themselves”
in
establishing a championship culture, consider:
Øpeople – look for
people who are smart and can figure things out quickly, are self-disciplined in
thought and action, and have a high standard of performance
Øroles and
responsibilities – consider a system where everyone has different roles and
responsibilities but has the same status; moreover, consider giving people
autonomy and freedom in exercising their roles and responsibilities; reinforce
to people that the better they perform in the role that they are given, the
faster their role will change to something better
Øtrust – people need
to trust that those around them will “do the right thing,” and will fulfill
their roles and responsibilities; people should have low ego and high output,
be intellectually honest and have no hidden agenda so that they do not have any
positions to defend
Øcreativity – people
should have creativity and spontaneity in everything they do in order to have
energy and combat stagnation; boredom and tedium should be eliminated
Øcompetitiveness –
competitiveness should be promoted, coached and fostered; although it is hard
to teach “a competitive spirit,” there should be an ongoing quest to be the
best rather than settling for second-best; the aim should be continuous
improvement
Øenjoyment
– people should bear in mind that they started an activity because they liked
it; they should learn from their mistakes and enjoy their struggles
PLENARY I: INCREASING
EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS
Jim Nicholson, Former US
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
greater
efforts and more action are needed regarding the welfare of US veterans,
including in respect of educational and career opportunities
there
are 23.5 million veterans in the United States, and 1,800 die each day; of
the 2.3 million veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq,
1 million are currently unemployed
after
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Veteran Assistance Act
of 2008 was passed; it addresses tuition and other educational fees
and costs as well as a housing allowance; benefits can be received for up
to four years, and they can be accessed for up to 15 years after the time
when the individual began to be a veteran
while
educational programs are beneficial, the problem is jobs; 27% of veterans are
unable to find employment; reasons for their employment difficulties
include a lack of:
Øconfidence, since
they may have no experience in a civilian work environment
Øknowledge regarding
interview techniques, how to write resumes, etc.
Øcivilian employment
experience
Øeducation in the
event that they left educational pursuits in order to serve their country
in
helping veterans find employment, a multi-pronged approach is needed; to
that end:
Øemployers should be
educated about the benefits of hiring veterans
Øveterans should be
identified and mentored
Øveterans should be
“engaged” immediately on their return to the United States
veterans
are used to teamwork and commitment, and are able to be educated
the
US Chamber of Commerce has established the “Hiring Our Heroes” initiative,
which includes job fairs and efforts to match employers with potential
veteran-employees
in
order to induce enlistment in military service, people need to know that
they have options and will be taken care of when they return to the United
States as veterans
Robert Hedelund, US
Department of Defense
many
people are concerned about the challenges faced by US veterans, and
solutions for them will require a team effort
veterans
need transition assistance; that said, process-driven transition
assistance programs that provide assistance throughout a military career,
rather than for a limited number of days after discharge from the
military, are required
there
is a need to do a better job in preparing armed services members for life
following their military service
although
it is not possible to promise a job after armed services members finish
their service to their country, it is possible to promise them
opportunities and to prepare them for life after their discharge from the
military
“pathways”
following discharge from military service include:
Øa career that uses
their armed services training, such as a military truck driver becoming a civilian
truck driver
Øvocational training
Ønon-vocational
education
Øentrepreneurship
David Brasuell, Idaho
Division of Veterans Services
regarding
US veterans, no one should wait for the federal government to act; a
national strategic plan for them is lacking
the
private sector should learn about how US states are supporting employers
that hire veterans; for example, some states are offering a variety of
programs, tax credits, etc.
the
person or agency to whom or which veterans should be referred for job
search, preparation of resumes, development of interview skills and other
types of assistance should be clear
employers,
non-governmental organizations, communities, government agencies and
others should be involved in assisting US veterans
military
recruitment and retention efforts are improved when armed services members
know that they will have a job following discharge from the military
the
tuition assistance that is available in the Veteran Assistance Act of
2008 is the best since the Second World War
if
college “was for everybody,” then US youth would be in college rather than
in military service
veterans
should be able to benefit from mentoring programs, expedited hiring
processes, etc.
Jeff Bacon, Wyakin
Warrior Foundation
the
US’ “wounded warriors” should have an opportunity to continue to
contribute to their country
a
community-wide effort is needed to ensure that US veterans have their
educational, job training, medical and other requirements met
severely
wounded and injured US veterans should be able to access educational
support for 48 – rather than 36 – months, as well as mentoring, job
training and assistance finding a job following graduation
efforts
should be made to connect veterans with each other so that they can
commiserate, share experiences, support each other, etc.
US
states should work together on veteran-related programs and issues, and
should share their best practices
PLENARY II: RESTORING AND
MANAGING THE HEALTH OF FORESTS IN THE WEST
Doc Hastings, US House of
Representatives
early
in the history of the United States, the federal role in land management
involved acquiring land, including through wars and agreements with
foreign nations, and then distributing land
each
US state entered the nation on an “equal footing” with the 13 states that
formed the United States
today,
the federal government is responsible for about 30% of the US’ land mass,
the majority of which is in the states represented in the Western
Governors’ Association and much of which is “not in good shape”
it is
reasonable for people to question the federal government’s ability to take
care of existing lands, let alone its ability to acquire more lands
US
Secretary of the Interior Salazar’s “Wild Lands” initiative, which was
announced in December 2010, has been defunded
there
is speculation that, if the federal government is going to acquire
additional lands, some federally owned lands should be sold
there
is some federal regulatory over-reach
the
US states should have the flexibility they need with respect to forests
and the aftermath of forest fires
more
than 1,300 plant and animal species have been listed since the Endangered
Species Act was passed, and only 20 have been recovered
state
management of lands would probably lead to better outcomes than occur with
federal land management
Harris Sherman, US
Department of Agriculture
climatic
conditions are affecting forest health
the
greatest flooding in 117 years of recorded history in some states
coincided with the greatest drought in other states; for example, New
Mexico is experiencing the driest conditions in 117 years while Montana is
experiencing the wettest conditions in 117 years
between
January 1, 2011 and June 29, 2011, almost 5 million acres of forests have
burned in the United States; the 10-year average is 1.8 million acres each
year
the
United States is experiencing larger and more intense forest fires, and
many fires are larger than 100,000 acres
warmer
winters are allowing the bark beetle to survive the winter; across the US
West, 41 million acres have been affected by the beetle
800
million acres of national forest land need restoration in the United
States
going
forward, there is a need to focus on priorities to a greater extent than
has been the case in the past; restoration is critical
the National
Environmental Policy Act is useful legislation, but too much is being
spent on the studies and reviews required by the legislation; streamlining
is required
more
public-private partnerships are needed
many
of the US’ top ski areas are on national forest service lands; government,
utilities, tourism and other industries should partner
in
the future, things should be done on a landscape-scale basis; working on
small areas one at a time is not an approach that is working very well
David Groeschl, Idaho Forestry
and Fire Division
there
is a need to engage in active forest management
there
are three challenges to be met:
Øminimize wildfires
Øimprove forest health
Øcreate and sustain
jobs
state
trust lands are a successful model
the
principles of trust land management include:
Øengage in proper
financial management
Ømaintain revenue
generation over time
Øsustain forests
Øsupport communities
Øbalance the short
term and the long term to “benefit the beneficiaries”
forests
assist with clean water and air as well as wildlife habitat
species
that are less susceptible to fires, disease, etc. should be a focus
the
future “look” of forests should be determined, and progress in attaining
that goal should be measured
KEYNOTE II: HONOURABLE GARY
DOER, AMBASSADOR OF CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Gary Doer, Canadian
Ambassador to the United States
Canada
and the United States share a great deal; for example, the two nations
have a shared vision regarding land use, wildlife corridors, and energy
security and innovation, among other areas
Canada
is the US’ largest trade customer and its largest source of foreign
energy; tourism between the countries is also significant
Canada
and the United States are working together in a number of areas as
neighbours and friends, including in international security, such as in
Libya, Afghanistan and Iran
the
perimeter security and economic competitiveness agenda announced by Prime
Minister Harper and President Obama in February 2011 is valuable;
similarly, regulatory cooperation, which would end the “tyranny of small
differences,” is useful
Canada
and the United States should work together on developing new export
markets; the countries should recognize the need “to not go to where the
puck is, but rather to where the puck is going”
WESTERN STATES AND NOAA
WORKING TOGETHER
Jane Lubchenco, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
in
the United States, federal and state agencies must be good partners
weather
and climate have pervasive effects on people, animals, resources, etc.
while
planning and preparedness are critically important, data are needed
sufficiently far in advance that plans can be activated
about
10-14 days is the limit for reliable weather information; beyond that
limit, the information is “climate” rather than “weather”
as
much advance notice as possible is needed about droughts, floods, fires
and other natural hazards
the
National Integrated Drought Information System is one example of a
successful collaboration and partnership between US states and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
PLENARY III: REDUCING ENERGY
DEMAND BY IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Kathleen Hogan, US
Department of Energy
increased
investments in energy efficiency are required
people
should always remember that there is no need to produce that which is not
consumed
the
momentum provided by the energy-related funds contained in the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 should be leveraged in order to
sustain a focus on energy efficiency
the
corporate sector must “drive” energy improvements
Don Sturtevant, Simplot
energy
efficiency is a good opportunity for everyone
for
both environmental and fiscal reasons, a focus on energy is “the right
thing to do”
energy
costs have a direct impact on “the bottom line”
the
least expensive energy is the energy that is not used
at
this time, energy accounts for more than 95% of greenhouse gas emissions
the
right regulatory environment and the proper incentives are needed
regarding energy
Lynda Ziegler, Southern
California Edison
three
ingredients for success in respect of energy efficiency are:
Øa public policy
Øfunding and
continuity of funding
Øthe proper culture
and ethics
the
least expensive energy is the energy that does not need to be produced
utilities
need to be protected against the adverse effects of a focus on energy
efficiency, since reduced energy sales affect utilities
utilities
are faced with the challenge of balancing energy reliability with energy
affordability
Bill Ritter, Colorado
State University
a
governor’s leadership is key to getting people and businesses to embrace
energy efficiency
with
the advent of robotics, which mean that labour costs are relatively less
important in deciding where to locate businesses, energy costs are an
increasingly important consideration
although
many states share similar energy challenges, the states in the US West
have some unique challenges
an
interstate transmission highway grid is an ideal goal
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION:
DEVELOPING ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE WEST
Doug Larson, Western
Interstate Energy Board
there
are a variety of steps that must be considered regarding energy
transmission, including:
Øplanning
Øfinancing
Øsiting
Øpermitting
Øconstruction
it is
challenging to convert studies about transmission needs into an actionable
plan
Dave Godfrey, Western
Electricity Coordinating Council
theoretically,
transmission of energy is simple: match resources to loads and “connect
the dots”; the challenge arises in determining the resources and the
loads, and where to site the transmission lines
a
10-year plan is a just-in-time model; a 20-year time frame enables better
planning
a
robust plan that will enable changing requirements to be met as they arise
should be developed
a
robust stakeholder process is critical for the success of a plan; it is
important to determine stakeholder expectations and to identify what can
be delivered
Rich Halvey, Western
Governors’ Association
the
energy future of the US West is at stake, and some policy decisions must
be made before planning can proceed
with
transmission, planning should occur globally but action should take place
locally and regionally
since
water will be affected by energy development, energy plans must “work”
from the water perspective
the
impacts of drought on energy generation and transmission must be assessed
in
terms of wildlife, sensitive areas must be identified so that developers
can make appropriate choices and mitigate the impact of their actions
one
goal is inexpensive and reliable electricity for citizens
Rich Walje, Rocky Mountain
Power
public
agencies prefer siting that occurs on private lands, while private land
owners prefer siting that occurs on public lands
there
is a distinct lack of coordination among government entities at all
levels; uniformity and consistency are needed
financial
capital is a “coward,” and nothing makes capital more “antsy” than a lack
of certainty about what will happen in the future
generation
should be matched with transmission
Verne Porter, Idaho Power
the National
Environmental Policy Act does not take care of the issue of public
involvement, and the public wants to be involved at the very beginning of
the siting process
the
critical path is the permitting process, and the process must proceed in a
timely manner
there
is no need for the public to be consulted twice; thus, the processes
required by the US states and the National Environmental Policy Act
should be reconciled
“not
in my backyard” sentiments are “alive and well”
grid
upgrades should occur in order to improve reliability
collaborative
efforts are required in order to protect the sage grouse
Les Starck, Southern
California Edison
in
the United States, there are many federal and state agencies involved in
the licensing process, and there is no consistent approach across federal
agencies, across state agencies or between federal and state agencies
agencies
are not required to act in a timely manner
processes
should be streamlined
communication
is critical, including with stakeholders
governors
should lead
Lawrence Willick, LS
Power Development
it is
important to see challenges as opportunities
there
are both planning and permitting challenges
Respectfully
submitted,
Hon.
Janis G. Johnson, Senator
Co-Chair
Canada-United States
Inter-Parliamentary Group
Gord Brown, M.P.
Co-Chair
Canada-United States
Inter-Parliamentary Group