Canada appointed a fentanyl czar on Tuesday in accordance with a deal made with U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid additional tariffs on Canadian imports.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose Kevin Brosseau, who spent decades with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, for the position aimed at working with the U.S. to “detect, disrupt and dismantle” the fentanyl trade. His appointment is effective immediately.
Brosseau has extensive law enforcement experience, having served as deputy commissioner and the commanding officer in Manitoba during his career as a Mountie. He most recently worked with Trudeau as his deputy national security and intelligence advisor.
“Mr. Brosseau navigated Canada’s most sensitive security challenges. His demonstrated expertise tackling drug trafficking, organized crime networks, and other national security threats will bring tremendous value to this position,” Trudeau said in his announcement.
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Brosseau’s appointment comes days after Trump threatened to impose an additional 25% tariff on Canadian imports, citing the flow of illegal aliens and drugs, such as fentanyl, across the northern border.
Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on the tariffs in order to assess Canada’s response to his demands, which revolved around creating a stronger border.
In addition to appointing a fentanyl czar, Trudeau said the country will implement a $1.3 billion border plan that utilizes Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel to protect the U.S.-Canada border.
He also said organized crime cartels will be listed as terrorist entities in order to enforce criminal investigations in Canada.
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Focusing on fentanyl production and trafficking, Canada will be adding new and expanded detection capacity at border entry points and building a Canadian Drug Analysis Center where authorities will study illegal drug samples to identify where and how they are manufactured.
“While less than 1% of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada, any amount of fentanyl is too much,” Trudeau said, adding that “fentanyl must be wiped from the face of the Earth, its production must be shut down, and its profiteers must be punished.”
While the fentanyl that comes through the northern border is significantly less than what comes from Mexico, U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year.
Agents at the U.S.-Mexico border seized 21,100 pounds of fentanyl during the same time period.
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