Haines Borough Mayor Tom Morphet has reached out by letter to the mayors of Whitehorse and Haines Junction highlighting commonalities with his northern Canadian neighbours in the Yukon and British Columbia amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and annexation talk.
Morphet’s letters, dated Feb. 12, were addressed to Whitehorse Mayor Kirk Cameron and Haines Junction Mayor Diane Strand.
The stated purpose of the letters is to reaffirm the friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance that the Alaska borough and Yukon municipalities share.
“Our communities are bound by bonds that are centuries old and include strong and mutually beneficial relationships that are familial, cultural, social, economic and political,” Morphet wrote.
In a response letter, Cameron also recognized the bond.
Cameron invited Morphet to join a chorus of Canadian border towns and cities on the Border Mayors Alliance. Cameron said the relationship with the U.S. is “unparalleled” with a history of co-operation, mutual respect and shared values.
“We are not just business associates and colleagues; we are friends and family, bound by a common purpose and shared aspirations," he wrote.
Cameron pointed to the social and economic benefits of being neighbours. He cited the Canadian capital city’s concern about the impacts of tariffs on businesses and workers.
Morphet indicated he is grateful for the benevolence that Whitehorse and Haines Junction residents have shown.
Morphet expressed thanks to Whitehorse, the Yukon’s capital, for financially assisting following the “2020 landslide tragedy” that destroyed homes and killed two people in Haines, and Haines Junction for “an Olympia ice conditioner your town gifted us a few years back in exchange for a load of salmon.”
The Borough of Haines, the City of Whitehorse and the Village of Haines Junction rely on each other to carry out events like the Southeast Alaska State Fair, a coho derby, a beer festival, sporting competitions and more, per the letters. The Kluane Chilkat International Bicycle Relay runs between Haines Junction and Haines in the summer.
With a population of approximately 2,070 people, according to U.S. census data as of July 1, 2023, the borough is a hub for seasonal cruise-ship activity. It is located about 72 kilometres from the Canada-U.S. border, north of Juneau, Alaska, and south of Skagway, Alaska.
Haines Junction is just under 240 kilometres away by road heading northwest from the American borough via the Haines Road. Whitehorse is another 155 kilometres further east of Haines Junction.
Morphet noted the benefits of living close to Canada including emergency health and vet services, RCMP coverage, parks, shopping and social events.
“We recognize that as northerners, we sometimes have as much in common with our Canadian neighbors as we do with our own countrymen in the southern latitudes,” Morphet wrote.
“We stand steadfast for continued warm and peaceful relations with our Canadian neighbors and family members, in perpetuity. Our hand is extended and our welcome mat is out.”
On Feb. 13, Trump continued to express his escalating rhetoric on annexing Canada.
Trump said he thinks Canada will be a “very serious contender to be our 51st state."
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
