Alper given 'hot potato' award for work related to Canada-U.S. border

Don Alper, a professor of Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University, recently was given the "Hot Potato Award" for his work relating to the Canada-U.S. Border. The award was presented at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region conference in Portland.

PNWER is a consortium of legislators from the 10 western states, provinces and territories of the United States and Canada.

The "Hot Potato" award is given to one individual each year who has stepped up to tackle a difficult international issue, a "hot potato" as it were. PNWER noted the importance of the border to trade and Canadian-American relations, and how inefficiencies at the border are both problematic, and contentious. The organization praised Alper for his leadership in studying problems at the border and finding solutions to make it more efficient.

WWU President Bruce Shepard, also in attendance at the event, congratulated Alper.