The Canadian Electricity Association's paper, "Providing Reliable Energy in a Time of Constraints: A North American Concern," was presented to policymakers in Washington, and presented the Canadian industry's views on how the United States and Canada can work together to solve their respective energy problems.

"There is growing recognition of the need for more coordinated action across the continent to address the variety of constraints facing our industry," said CEA President Hans Konow.

Canadian electricity industry executives said they met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Joseph Kelliher and Commissioner Suedeen Kelly along with several members of the U.S. Congress.

The paper describes the need for trade lines to remain wide open in order to share new technologies and resources that could meet energy supply challenges facing both countries. Canada has just begun to really tap its oil sands resources, in which U.S. companies could be getting a stake.