Networking among regions: Ontario and the four motors for Europe

The formation of regional alliances among sub-national governments has beco me a common feature of Europe in the part decade and a half: However, examp les of such alliances spanning the Triad, Europe, North America and Japan, are far less common. In a brief outward-oriented phase in the late 1980s, t he Four Motors for Europe expanded abroad and Ontario signed a formal agree ment with them, establishing a number of exchanges, as well as a series of more targeted research projects with two of the Motors. The relationship be tween Ontario and the Four Motors war somewhat unique in terms of its trans continental reach. This paper analyses the factors which led to the establi shment of the alliance and assesses some of the benefits achieved and probl ems encountered in developing it. It concludes that transatlantic alliances must surmount additional barriers of space and cultural differences to sur vive and require a strong degree of policy and institutional continuity to ensure the have sufficient time to mature and develop.