Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is promising to ratchet up penalties for criminals trafficking fentanyl if his party forms government.
Poilievre pledged to introduce mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl dealers, including a life sentence for those producing or exporting over 40 milligrams of the opioid. Those caught with 20 to 40 milligrams would be slapped with a 15 year mandatory minimum sentence.
“Let’s call mass fentanyl trafficking what it is – mass murder,” said Poilievre.
“Selling 40 milligrams of this poison is enough to kill 20 people. It’s like spraying bullets into a crowd; you might not know who you are killing, but statistically, it’s certain that someone will die.
Poilievre emphasized that his plan will target traffickers and “drug kingpins” rather than ordinary fentanyl users who he claims are victims of the opioid crisis.
Poilievre’s plan to crackdown on fentanyl traffickers comes after U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening Canada with a 25 per cent tariff. Among other concerns, Trump has demanded Canada address its problem of illegal fentanyl crossing the border into the United States.
“There is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada,” the White House said.
“A recent study recognized Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution.”
In his most recent video, Poilievre recognized that domestic fentanyl manufacturing and export has become a growing illicit industry among criminals, and that Canada should be getting serious about the opioid crisis regardless of Trump.
“Whether we agree with him or not, we shouldn’t be taking action to stop drugs just to please him. We should do it so that not one more mother has to bury her face in her hands in agony after her son overdosed and died in a back alley,” said Poilieve. “We must stop the drugs to save our people and put Canada first.”
In Canada, the most severe penalty is life sentence with possibility of parole after 25 years. Poilievre did not clarify in the video how his government would like to make the parole ineligibility period, and whether or not parole ineligibility periods would be served consecutively.
True North reached out to Poilievre’s office for comment, though no response was given.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this week that Canada would be appointing a fentanyl czar, a concession that came after Trudeau spoke with Trump Monday in a call before the U.S. put a 30-day pause on its tariffs on Canada.