Legislators spend much of the interim learning about a variety of topics that affect Montanans. But Treasure State lawmakers are also called upon to impart their hard-earned knowledge to others. Five state legislators spoke recently at the 2021 summit of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region( PNWER). The group includes policy makers from  Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan and the territories of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Sen. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, is the outgoing president of  PNWER. Also speaking at the conference in Big Sky were Sens. Keith Regier,  R-Kalispell and Diane Sands, D-Missoula, as well as Reps. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell and Steve Gunderson, R-Libby

The PNWER website is flush with materials from the conference, including video recordings of the sessions.