Government of Yukon
Archives
FOR RELEASE #05-107
April 25, 2005
Yukon, Alaska Collaborate On Alaska-Canada Rail Link
WHITEHORSE - Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie and Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski have agreed to undertake a major feasibility study on the proposed Alaska-Canada rail link.
Yukon and Alaska have agreed to terms of a memorandum of understanding outlining the formation, oversight, management and funding of the study. The two leaders will meet shortly to sign the agreement.
"A railway link has immense economic potential for our jurisdictions," Fentie said. "By signing this memorandum, we intend to continue our momentum to ensure significant long-term and sustainable benefits to our regions."
Fentie and Murkowski recently spent three days in Ottawa meeting with key decision-makers including Prime Minister Paul Martin, Minister Lapierre of Transport Canada and US Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, seeking support for the railway. They received a stated commitment from the federal government to participate in the study. As a follow-up to these meetings, Yukon and Alaska have been meeting to establish the terms of reference and management structure for a proposed feasibility study.
"While we await the federal government's formal commitment, Yukon and Alaska have agreed to launch the feasibility study on our own. We look forward to the federal government joining the process at a later time," Fentie said.
This is the second cooperative initiative for both governments under the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Relations Accord signed in December 2003. The first was respecting reciprocity of fishing license fees, which came into effect January 1 this year.
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| Contact: | |
| Peter Carr | Samantha McCulloch |
| Cabinet Communications Advisor | Communications Analyst |
| (867) 667-8688 | (867) 667-5341 |
| peter.carr@gov.yk.ca | srmccull@gov.yk.ca |