Plunged into turmoil, Justin Trudeau’s government still unveiled its detailed plan to strengthen controls and surveillance at the border with the United States in order to meet the demands of Donald Trump, a month and a half away from his presidency. coming to power.
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This plan presented Tuesday afternoon by the Minister of Public Safety and new Minister of Finance, Dominic LeBlanc, aims above all to put an end to fentanyl trafficking and migrant crossings at the border.
The day before yesterday, Chrystia Freeland would certainly have taken part in the announcement, she who led the Canada team set up by Justin Trudeau. His resounding departure from the Cabinet on Monday forced Justin Trudeau to reshuffle the cards.
Here are some details of the plan, estimated at $1.3 billion, which is broken down into five points.
Killing the fentanyl trade
The export of fentanyl from Canada to the United States is one of Donald Trump’s obsessions, despite a volume of trafficking that has nothing to do with the much larger one coming from Mexico. Regardless, the government is announcing investments in digital imaging tools and artificial intelligence for efficiency and precision during searches. Added to this is the deployment of new detection dog teams at the most risky entry points. Furthermore, Ottawa will provide Health Canada with a new laboratory allowing it to carry out approximately 2,000 biochemical investigations per year.
A new air police detachment
Surveillance at the border will no longer be done only from the ground: the federal government will provide the RCMP with a special air detachment which should include helicopters, drones and mobile surveillance towers. Anti-drone technology will also be installed along the border to ensure surveillance between points of entry.
More coordination with the Americans
Ottawa will set up three regional hubs across the country to coordinate efforts between different levels of power with the aim of accelerating interventions on the ground. The plan also contains a proposal that will be made to the Americans: a North American intervention force that could carry out joint operations to fight cross-border crime.
More information sharing
In the same vein, the federal government intends to boost the sharing of information with the American government and its intelligence services, in order to better “intercept high-risk people who attempt to travel as well as goods of interest which attempt to move from one country to another.
Limit “unnecessary” volumes at the border
In order to better manage who enters and leaves the territory, the federal government will put an end to the practice of “circling the post”, which consists of leaving and re-entering the country quickly in order to renew a particular visa. The government plans to change the law to allow the cancellation or suspension of certain immigration documents in the event of a security risk. The plan mentions restrictions for countries that do not collaborate for the “rapid” return of their expelled citizens.
