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By rdnewsNOW Staff

ANNUAL WINTER MEETING

Smith travelling to Nevada to connect with western U.S. governors

Dec 5, 2024 | 4:34 PM

Premier Danielle Smith will represent Alberta from Dec. 6-10 at the Western Governors’ Association’s winter meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to provincial officials, this meeting is expected to provide a forum for critical conversations and information sharing that should help inform future policy development and set the stage for collaborative action on issues impacting the western United States and Canada’s western provinces.

Smith will join governors in public policy discussions, including strategies to enhance access to housing and enabling efficient permitting in areas including infrastructure, transmission, land management, wildfire mitigation, border security, deployment of energy resources and more.

According to the government, the conference should give the premier the opportunity to engage one-on-one with U.S. governors to discuss priorities that are top of mind for the province, such as protecting the history of cross-border collaboration and an ability to move Alberta’s products to U.S. markets.

“As the United States prepares for a new administration, this is a critical time for our province to strengthen our engagement with American friends and allies. Alberta is a key trade partner, and we are committed to ensuring our relationship continues to grow, yielding mutual benefits for years to come,” said Smith. “In addition, securing our shared border remains a top priority, as it is essential for maintaining the safety and efficiency of trade between our two regions. I look forward to meeting with U.S. governors to emphasize the deep economic ties that connect our two economies and the importance of border security in facilitating continued collaboration.”

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This year’s meeting will be hosted by Michelle Lujan Grisham. governor of New Mexico and chair of the Western Governor’s Association.

The Western Governors’ Association is a non-partisan organization of governors of 22 western U.S. states and territories including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming along with the three U.S. Flag Pacific Islands: American Samoa, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands.

From Dec. 6-8, Smith’s trip will be on personal time and covered at her own expense. She will be joined by four Premier’s Office staff members, and mission expenses will be shared to the province’s travel and expense disclosure page.

Itinerary for Premier Smith

• Dec. 6-7: Travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, and take personal time.
• Dec. 8: Meet with U.S. governors and senior officials.
• Dec. 9: Meet with U.S. governors and senior officials at the winter meeting and participate in bilateral meetings with governors.
• Dec. 10: Meet with U.S. governors and senior officials at the at the winter meeting; participate in the panel “Insuring Homes Against the Wildfire Crisis”; and travel back to Alberta.

This itinerary is subject to change.