HJR011a -1- HJR 11
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34-LS0532\I
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 11
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE KOPP
Introduced: 2/26/25
Referred: Resources
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and honoring the relationship between Canada and Alaska. 1
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
WHEREAS both Canada and Alaska are blessed with extraordinary natural 3
environments, valuable natural resources, and shared cultures that stretch back millennia; and 4
WHEREAS Canada and Alaska have worked together to create jobs through 5
integrated economies, to protect our shared environment, airspace, and border, and to defend 6
North America from threats; and 7
WHEREAS the citizens of Canada and the citizens of Alaska have developed deep 8
friendships, family ties, and collaborative relationships over the course of history; and 9
WHEREAS the United States and Canada have developed one of the most successful 10
international relationships in the modern world, sharing a vibrant history of democratic 11
governance, military and economic partnerships, and cultural ties; and 12
WHEREAS the United States and Canada have been close allies, serving on 13
battlefields alongside one another in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the 14
Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the War on Terror, including the Global 15
Coalition against Daesh; and 16 34-LS0532\I
HJR 11 -2- HJR011a
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WHEREAS the United States and Canada have been partners in the Permanent Joint 1
Board on Defense since 1940, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization since 1949, and the 2
North American Aerospace Defense Command since 1958, with Alaska's North American 3
Aerospace Defense Command region proudly commanded out of Joint Base Elmendorf-4
Richardson by an American Commander and a Canadian Deputy Commander; and 5
WHEREAS Canada has provided aid to the United States in times of need, including 6
the Iran hostage crisis, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, 7
Hurricane Katrina, wildfires in Alaska and across the United States, and other disasters; and 8
WHEREAS the United States and Canada share the world's longest border at 5,511 9
miles, 1,538 miles of which are along Alaska's eastern frontier with the Yukon Territory and 10
the Province of British Columbia; and 11
WHEREAS Canada and Alaska strive to advance the goal of sustaining healthy and 12
resilient Arctic and northern peoples and communities by strengthening economic, cultural, 13
and family connections across the region; and 14
WHEREAS both Canada and the United States benefit from the efficient and secure 15
movement of people and goods between countries, including as partners in vibrant regional 16
cruise industries, fishing industries, resource extraction industries, agricultural industries, 17
energy industries, and medical industries; and 18
WHEREAS the United States is Canada's premier partner in the Arctic, and 19
cooperation between Canada and Alaska is longstanding, including on economic 20
opportunities, health, education, energy, security, environmental protection, infrastructure, 21
and public safety issues; and 22
WHEREAS Alaska annually exports $596,000,000 in goods to Canada, including 23
$438,000,000 in ore and fuel oil; and 24
WHEREAS Alaska annually imports $753,000,000 from Canada, including 25
$370,000,000 in ore and fuel oil; and 26
WHEREAS the United States and Canada have the largest and most comprehensive 27
and balanced trade relationship in the world, totaling $1,000,000,000,000 annually, 28
representing 13.3 percent of total United States trade, with $2,500,000,000 worth of goods 29
and services crossing the United States and Canada border every day; and 30
WHEREAS the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiated by President 31 34-LS0532\I
HJR011a -3- HJR 11
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Donald J. Trump in 2018 provides the framework for much of this bilateral trade, has 1
provided important updates to the North American Free Trade Agreement, and continues to 2
grow both economies; and 3
WHEREAS more than 20,300 jobs in Alaska rely on trade and investment with 4
Canada, and more than 47 Canadian-owned companies operate in Alaska and employ 4,350 5
residents throughout the state; and 6
WHEREAS Canada and Alaska share diverse transportation links by road and by sea, 7
including the Alaska-Canada Highway, constructed during World War II to benefit our shared 8
defense, the Alaska Marine Highway system, which runs from Bellingham, Washington to 9
Alaska through Canadian water and has a terminal at Prince Rupert, and the uniquely 10
interdependent communities of Stewart, British Columbia, and Hyder, Alaska; and 11
WHEREAS the imposition of recent proposed tariffs could threaten this unique, 12
mutually beneficial relationship and could harm the economies of both Alaska and Canada, 13
jeopardizing jobs, businesses, and longstanding partnerships; 14
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the vibrancy and 15
importance of the Alaska-Canada relationship as the world increasingly recognizes the 16
strategic, economic, environmental, and cultural importance of the Arctic; and be it 17
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature believes that Canada and 18
Alaska must continue to work together to make our citizens' lives better, safer, more 19
prosperous, and more affordable; and be it 20
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the economic 21
and trade relationships between our nation and Canada and Alaska and Canada; and be it 22
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes restrictive trade 23
measures that would harm the unique relationship between Canada and Alaska or negatively 24
affect our integrated economies; and be it 25
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature honors Alaska's alliance 26
with Canada and looks forward to many more years of cooperation, friendship, trade, tourism, 27
cultural exchange, and good will. 28
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Tr
ump, President 29
of the United States; the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; the 30
Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada; the Honourable Mary Ng, 31 34-LS0532\I
HJR 11 -4- HJR011a
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Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, of Canada; 1
the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence of Canada; the Honorable Marco 2
Rubio, United States Secretary of State; the Honorable Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary 3
of Defense; General Gregory M. Guillot, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense 4
Command and United States Northern Command; Lieutenant General Blaise F. Frawley, 5
Deputy Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command; Craig Weichel, Consul 6
General of Canada in Seattle, Washington; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the 7
Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S. 8
Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress. 9