Much has been stated through the media and through conferences and public forums about the need for improved transportation links between Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont on the one hand, and the Atlantic provinces in Canada on the other. This focus is now moving forward to the extent that greater emphasis is being placed on economic cooperation and development within the region.

This larger economic and regional cooperation perspective is motivated by the electronic revolution that is changing the ways companies do business. The changes taking place demand an action-oriented strategy that responds to technological and competitive change from wherever it may come. Some companies miss the grade and collapse. Regional economic cooperation that draws on the multiplicity of talents that exist in the region offers the best route for improved prosperity.

Perry Newman, former director of the Maine International Trade Center, who arranged a visit by Gov. Angus King and the Maine trade delegation to Halifax, Nova Scotia, envisions fruitful cooperation between Maine, its Atlantic Canadian neighbors and New Hampshire and Vermont within the terms of the North American Free Trade Association. Newman urges the completion of the transportation infrastructure recommended by Timothy Woodcock and the development of alliances between businesses and the education community in the three states and Atlantic Canada.

Newman’s concept must be explored fully, particularly in respect to Atlantic Canada. The reasons are numerous. From the outset, it must be noted that Maine enjoys a larger border with Canada than it does with its American neighbors. The vibrancy of the relationship with Atlantic Canada is illustrated by the fact than 3.5 million individuals entered the United States in 1998 through the St. Stephen-Calais border crossing alone. Of these, 2.6 million entrants were Canadian.

Academic linkages offer one opportunity to deepen the relationship with Atlantic Canada. Eric Brucker, dean of the College of Business at the University of Maine, is already investigating linkages with the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, which is extremely active internationally. Brucker demonstrated his ability to bring these linkages to fruition during his earlier tenure at the University of Michigan. Brucker initiated programs with the Ford Motor Co. and cooperation programs with Canadian universities while at Michigan. Approaches could be made to set up a facility at the University of Maine that focuses on consumer research and usability labs in cooperation with iMagic TV and Innovatia in New Brunswick that have subsidiaries in Maine such as Prexar in Bangor.

Innovatia and its related Atlantic Canada companies have also developed technologies that provide advanced health care delivery systems and lower health care delivery costs. New Brunswick-based companies are operators of world-class food industries such as McCain. Others use world-class technologies in paper production, lumber and tissue manufacturing, and oil refining. Atlantic Canadians, at the same time, cherish the same values held by Mainers in respect to family, community and neighbors.

Individual communities within Maine are addressing their social and economic needs. Calais is planning a Downeast Heritage Center that will provide Washington County with a focal point for cultural and heritage tourism. Blue Hill businesses and nonprofit organizations are investigating the possibility of creating a center that will provide a focal point in Hancock County for a vibrant core of artists and arts groups.

All citizens in the region have a vital interest in the success that these plans will engender. Each one of us prospers when our neighbors prosper. It is, otherwise, hard to sell to poor neighbors. Sharing our skills as a region in this technologically based competitive business environment will deliver even greater prosperity for all our citizens.

Ed Farren is the Intergovernmental affairs officer for Saint John, New Brunswick.