Alaska, Canada to create form trade group

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski told reporters Oct. 1 that the state of Alaska and three western Canada provinces are looking at forming a resource trade association that would deal with, among other things, energy.

Murkowski, who was in Calgary in late September to speak at the Far North Oil and Gas Forum, said he had invited the leaders of British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory to Alaska later this year to discuss energy issues and the formation of a northwestern North America trade association.

While in Calgary he met with the leaders of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory to discuss energy issues and the proposed Alaska gas pipeline. (See related stories on pages 13 and 15.)

Murkowski also announced he was leaving Oct. 3 for a trade mission to Asia where he plans to discuss Alaska resources with business and government leaders in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, and Seoul.