TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS: ECONOMIST David Hale said recently that our nation might soon be moving out of recession.

Speaking to a group of elected officials at the Council of State Governments annual meeting in Burlington, Hale said, "We're on the verge of economic recovery."

Hale, a Vermont native who graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy, said that predictions were difficult, but he said, "Economic recovery will depend on consumers' willingness to spend. If they don't, our nation could be headed for a double-dip recession. The odds probably do favor a consumer upturn."

Hale went on to say that, "job losses are not over", although he expects them to slow. "At least we'll stop losing jobs at the same rate, and that will set the course for recovery."

Also speaking at the conference was Consul General Stephens Brereton. Canadian Consul General located in Buffalo, New York. Brereton said, "The Canada-U.S. partnership is deep and diverse. The countries share political, economic, social and family ties that stretch over 4000 miles. Despite the economic crises, Canada-U.S. trade is still a strong engine of economic growth and job creation. Over the past two decades, Canada-U.S. trade has tripled.

The U.S. imports far more oil and energy products from Canada than from any other country. We supply more crude oil to the U.S. than Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined. Many Americans are surprised to know that Canada has the second largest oil reserves in the world."

Another feature of the conference was a railroad summit. The summit concluded that the stimulus dollars from Washington could be the last best chance of providing additional rail service in the region. High on the list of objectives included a train from Burlington to New York City, extending the existing train from Washington to once again come to Montreal and a new route from Boston, Concord, Vermont and Montreal.

Health care was another important issue discussed at the Conference. We heard from Dr. David Newman, Director of Clinical Research at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City. Newman stressed the importance of basic scientific ideas. He stated that millions of health care dollars could be saved if we were more careful about the use of prescription drugs and medical procedures. He also stated that many Americans would be better off if they ate more nutritious food and engaged in exercise, such as walking.

Other important topics discussed at the conference included farm-to-school program, which had to do with improving the nutrition and food habits of children and the success of local farms. Another important topic had to do with criminal justice, where strategies were discussed on how to improve corrections. Other important panels included Canadian-U.S. relations, using federal stimulus to include public education and many panels relating to energy, environment and health.

The Council of State Governments has been in existence for over 40 years. The purpose of the organization is to provide information and meeting places for an exchange of ideas. The organization believes in helping the nation have stronger states in the federal system. The membership of the Eastern region currently consists of ten states, six Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico. The organization is non partisan and includes all three branches of state government.

It was a great honor to co-chair the conference with Representative Carolyn Partridge. The conference attracted 400 people, which resulted in an infusion of dollars in Vermont's economy.
BILL DOYLE
Washington County Senator