"We're going to be really wrestling this fentanyl scourge to the ground." That from Federal Public Safety minister, David McGuinty, who made the comment during Tuesday's press conference at the Canada/U.S. border in Emerson.
Joined by Terry Duguid, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Manitoba Premier, Wab Kinew, the trio reviewed the federal government's $1.3 billion enhanced border security measures confirmed this week. The deal was successfully agreed to by Canada and the United States in the 11th hour on Monday, temporarily fending off President Trump's tariff threats a day before they were set to take effect.
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"We are laser-focused here on practical measures for getting this job done," said McGuinty, referring to government's commitment to crack down on the amount of illegal drugs, including fentanyl, crossing the international boundary.
"Where will we be in twenty-nine days? That's up to the President," said McGuinty.
While Monday's deal between the two countries staves off the tariff threats for a month, McGuinty is confident looking ahead, citing the level of co-operation and participation he is seeing from the Trump Administration.
"Where will we be in twenty-nine days? That's up to the President," he said, adding the Canadian government will continue to manage its 150-year relationship with the United States as best it can. "We owe it to the Canadian people. We owe to the American people. And the fentanyl crisis is one area where we have joint co-operation between our countries and, between ourselves here in Canada. So, we are convinced (that) good efforts will prevail - good faith and goodwill. There's a lot at stake here. This is not naive, this is real. This is the largest economic relationship in the World. We have a choice to make between two countries. We can win-win or we can lose-lose. We think it's better to win-win."
"This is an all-hands-on-deck plan that we're executing together because there's just simply too much at stake not to get this right," added McGuinty.
Among the new measures announced in this week's border security plan was Canada's commitment to appoint a Fentanyl 'Czar'. According to the Minister, this Czar, who has yet to be named, will be responsible for pulling together multiple law enforcement agencies across the country, Health Canada laboratory systems and Global Affairs, to name a few, to execute a plan he says will minimize, if not eliminate, Fentanyl from Canadian soil.
"It's very important for us to come at this together."
According to McGuinty, less than one per cent of Fentanyl entering the United States is coming from Canada and, in 2024, American authorities seized 43 pounds of the deadly opioid entering the U.S. During that same twelve-month period, the Minister says 21,000 pounds was apprehended coming into the States from its southern border with Mexico.
"So, Canada has a continuing challenge. But, most importantly, Canada and the United States have a joint continuing challenge to deal with this crisis," he explained. "At some points of time in Canada, based on a per-capita population, there are more Canadians dying from Fentanyl than there are Americans - a point we made very clear to the White House. And so, it's very important for us to come at this together."
Additional measures outlined in Canada's plan intended to curb the flow of Fentanyl across the border include:
· Increased resources
· Launch Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl, and money laundering
· New intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl backed by $200 million
Canada has also agreed to list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups, a move McGuinty says will give the country's law enforcement agencies additional power to follow the money and assets, disrupting the cartels' activities.
The rest of Canada's $1.3 billion border plan entails:
· Reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology, and personnel
· Enhanced intelligence coordination with our American partners
· 10,000 frontline personnel working the border
· Ensure “24/7 eyes” on the border
With files from Alexander Peters