The Trudeau government announced a suite of new measures to protect Canada’s southern border, including 24/7 surveillance with the use of “helicopters, drones and mobile surveillance towers.”
“Our new border plan, backed an investment of $1.3 billion dollars, will secure our border against the flow of illegal drugs and irregular migration,” said newly-appointed Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc during a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday.
The government’s plan involves five pillars: slowing the fentanyl trade, providing new tools for law enforcement, improving operational coordination, boosting information-sharing and minimizing the number of migrants crossing into the U.S.
The newly promised “strike force” is in response to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada as a punitive measure for the Liberals’ failure to address border security concerns.
Trump has expressed concerns about the high volume irregular migrants and drugs, particularly fentanyl, that has been entering the U.S. from Canada in recent years.
“To detect and address fentanyl and its precursors, we will invest in new technology, tools and human resources,” said LeBlanc, who is still serving as Minister of Public Safety.
“Our investments will enable the Canada Border Service Agency to deploy new chemical detection, imaging and artificial intelligence-powered tools as well as new K-9 teams to better detect illegal drugs at ports of entry.”
According to LeBlanc, the government will also invest in the RCMP’s deployment of “a new aerial intelligence task force” that will “provide round-the-clock surveillance of ports of entry and complement existing foot and vehicle patrols” using helicopters, drones and mobile towers.
The government also intends to expand authority to border officers, allowing them to legislatively inspect exports in the same manner that they may currently inspect imports, with the aim of cracking down on the exportation of illicit drugs.
In an effort to better communications with U.S. authorities, LeBlanc said the government is proposing to its American partners, “the creation of a new North American joint strike force to target transnational organized crime.”
Immigration Minister Marc Miller also proposed putting an end to the practice known as “flagpoling,” which involves people entering the U.S. from Canada with no intention of spending any time there.
Something they do only to immediately return via the U.S.-Canada border to gain access to quicker visa processing times than they would have initially faced in Canada.
This loophole has been a bone of contention between the countries for some time.
“Flagpoling uses up valuable resources at both sides of the border,” said Miller on Tuesday. “When this change comes into effect, temporary residents already in Canada will have to apply online to extend their stay and flagpoling will no longer be an option.”
However, when it came to providing any timeline regarding the new plan’s implementation, or if such resources would be readily available, no details were given.
When asked how many helicopters would be available to begin enforcing enhanced surveillance, RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme told reporters, “I can’t just buy a helicopter but there are processes where you can rent a helicopter and we’re exploring every facet that we can.”