The group was led by Dennis Fentie, premier of the Yukon Territory, who gave the keynote speech at a World Trade Center Alaska luncheon March 11 at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel.

His theme was "North of 60 - Together we will do better."

"There could be stronger linkages" for business ventures crossing Alaska's 1,538 mile border with Canada, Fentie told the jam-packed luncheon. "We should take a 'Pan-Northern approach,'" in developing economic ties, he said.

"We're here to engage with the corporate world in Alaska, especially on the First Nation front," Fentie told the Journal.

"We see great merit in presenting the Yukon's willingness to cooperate with corporations and other jurisdictions to potentially attract more investment to the Yukon," he said.

He said there is a "shared sentiment" in looking far to the east to the capitols of Washington D.C. and Ottawa regarding legislation that can affect trade and economic regulations.

"I can say without any hesitation that Alaska and the Yukon, when it comes to dealing with our federal governments, we are in lock-step," he said.

The first priority on Fentie's to-do list is "responsible development of our natural resources. We both have abundant amounts," he said, citing a list of target industries.

"Timber, oil and gas, base and precious metals, and, of course tourism," the premier said, are the cornerstones of growing the economy for the region.

Developments surrounding the much-anticipated proposal for building a natural gas pipeline to bring Alaska's vast North Slope gas reserves to the North American market is, of course, getting a lot of attention, Fentie said.

"Again, we are in lock-step with the state of Alaska in bringing the Alaska Highway pipeline to reality," he asserted.

Fentie said his administration also wholeheartedly supports doing feasibility studies to examine the possibility of a railroad link from Alaska to Canada.

Last September, Alaska governor Murkowski and Fentie signed a formal agreement to work together on major development issues, and Fentie said he expects to make progress "fairly rapidly."

Chuck Becker, director of the U.S. Commercial Service's Alaska Export Assistance Center agrees.

He said meeting with the trade mission reminded him that Canada is Alaska's number two trading partner, following Japan.

In 2002, Alaska's leading export to Canada was $56 million in seafood, and the top import to Alaska from across the way was $23 million in petroleum and coal products, according to Canadian government figures.

Becker expects continued regional economic growth in the coming years, and he is bullish on the highway gas line.

"It is looking more and more promising," Becker said. "Especially with the price of gas where it is and having been sustained near those price levels for a while."

The luncheon was a magnet for those seeking international business, including consultant John Doyle, owner of 64th Parallel International, LLC.

He offers his company's expertise to a variety of businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations, and he said Canada-Alaska commercial relations are positive.

"That's why I'm here," Doyle said. "The world is getting smaller, and us northerners need to stick together."

Premier Fentie said he will pursue more planning and strategy sessions to keep up the momentum.

"This trip was a great pleasure and an honor," he said. "We are looking forward to our next visit, and maybe it will be Alaska coming to the Yukon."