Trudeau's government acts on drug and migration concerns raised by Trump
The Canadian government is preparing to ramp up border enforcement measures following a meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President-elect Donald Trump. The talk aims to address US concerns over drug trafficking and unauthorized migration and to avoid potential tariffs threatened by the incoming administration.
Public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc confirmed that Canada will soon deploy additional resources to strengthen border security.
“We got a mutual understanding of what they’re concerned about in terms of border security measures,” LeBlanc said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. He added that the measures would be announced “in the coming days or weeks” and could include drones, helicopters, and more personnel.
LeBlanc, whose portfolio includes oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency, emphasized that the new measures will make enforcement efforts “visible and muscular.”
The announcement comes in response to a threat from Trump to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico unless stronger actions are taken to curb the flow of fentanyl and unauthorized migrants into the US.
LeBlanc revealed that he had discussed border and trade issues with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, during the meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The two leaders exchanged text messages over the weekend, and further discussions are expected soon.
Read next: Will Trump really impose huge tariffs on Canada?
Trump invited Trudeau to the Florida dinner during a phone conversation earlier in the week. LeBlanc described the meeting as “warm and cordial.” Trump later posted on social media that Trudeau had committed to working with the US to tackle drug trafficking issues.
“It was a very warm, cordial meeting, and I saw very much the mutual respect and warmth between the two leaders,” LeBlanc said of the discussion.
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