Canada to Strengthen Border After Trump Tariff Threat, Top Official Says

A top Canadian official confirmed the country will strengthen the security of its border with the United States after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with President-elect Donald Trump following the latter’s threat of a 25-percent tariff if nothing is done.

Trudeau flew to Florida on Nov. 29 to have dinner with Trump, who last week said he would place tariffs on Canadian imports unless it prevents illegal immigrants and drugs from crossing the border. Trump also warned he would issue a similar tariff on Mexico if the country fails to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who sat at the head table with Trudeau and Trump, said the two men discussed additional security measures Canada would be introducing.

“We’re going to look to procure, for example, additional drones, additional police helicopters, we’re going to redeploy personnel … we believe that the border is secure,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

“It’s important, I think, to show Canadians and the Americans that we’re stepping up in a visible and muscular way, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” he said, promising more details in the days and weeks to come.

Canada sends 75 percent of its goods and services exports to the United States, meaning that tariffs would badly hurt its economy.

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On Saturday, Trump said that his meeting with Trudeau was “very productive,” according to a post he made on Truth Social. “We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address.”

Trump said they spoke about “the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration” along with “fair trade deals that do not jeopardize American workers, and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada.”

The president-elect also spoke with the Canadian prime minister on trade, energy, and the Arctic, although he did not provide more details.

For his part, Trudeau told reporters in West Palm Beach that he had an “excellent conversation” with Trump during the dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

Aside from the prime minister’s comment, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters last week that he wanted to see more funding for border security and offered Ontario Provincial Police resources to help with the border.

“We need action, including more permanent funding for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency,” Ford said Wednesday.

As for Mexico, the country’s recently elected president Claudia Sheinbaum said she spoke with Trump by phone and had an “excellent conversation” with the president-elect following the tariff threat.

“We also talked about what can be done to stop the massive drug inflow into the United States, and also, U.S. consumption of these drugs,” he said.

Aside from Mexico and Canada, Trump also warned he would issue an additional 10 percent tariff on the Chinese regime if it fails to curb the production of fentanyl precursors.

Reuters contributed to this report.