I want to thank Gov. John McKernan for appointing me as his representative to Canada. In my first official task, I delivered formal greetings from the governor to Mayor Elsie Wayne and the citizens of Saint John at their sixth Annual Festival By the Sea-Sur Mer. I can tell you that the governor’s message was well-received and did a great deal to positively develop and enhance our ties with Saint John and Canada.

More importantly, I want to acknowledge the tremendous work Gov. McKernan has provided in the area of international trade and economic development for Maine. In fact, one of the reasons Maine is doing so much better than the other Northeastern states is because of the governor’s efforts in this area. I accepted his appointment, in large part, because of his understanding, hard work, and commitment to this critical area of our state’s economy. Let’s continue working diligently to enhance strong ties with our Canadian neighbors as we compete in an ever-expanding global market. N. Laurence Willey Jr. Bangor Governor’s representative to Canada