Canada vows to toughen borders against drug trafficking

The Canadian government on Tuesday rolled out a $1.3 billion plan to upgrade security measures at its borders and new efforts to curb the trade of illicit drugs. The announcement comes weeks after President-elect Donald Trump told Canada and Mexico to curb drug trafficking and illegal immigration across their borders into the United States before he got into office. If they failed to do so, he would impose a 25% tariff on all goods from their countries. He also threatened China with tariffs over international drug trafficking.

What exactly are the security measures that Canada is putting into place? Canadian law enforcement agencies would receive new equipment to counter trafficking, illegal immigration, and money laundering:

• Authorities at the border will receive artificial intelligence and imaging tools to help detect illegal drugs.

• Border security agencies will also receive more helicopters, drones, and mobile surveillance towers to better monitor border areas between ports of entry.

• Border security personnel will receive more drug-sniffing dogs.

• The government plans to beef up the intelligence-gathering capacities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other federal agencies.

• The government promised to increase the size and abilities of the country’s drug testing facilities that assist with criminal investigations.

• Officials said they would assemble a new law enforcement unit tasked with tracking the precursor chemicals used to manufacture street drugs, and the channels through which the chemicals enter Canada.

• On a related note, officials promised to expedite regulatory changes that would allow police more effectively curb the trafficking of precursor chemicals.

• Canadian officials also promised to increase the penalties for firms involved in money laundering operations.

• The government said it would better link law enforcement and the financial sector to assist in tracking and breaking up money laundering operations.

Is Canada going to be working with the United States on any of this? Both the United States and Canada would work together to protect the integrity of their shared border, Canada said. Canadian officials said they would communicate more with U.S. border officials about issues they see.

Did Canada promise to crack down on illegal immigration in any specific ways?

• Officials promised to crack down on foreign individuals who try to re-enter Canada immediately after their temporary residential status expires.

• The government said it would give officials more authority to cancel, suspend, or amend immigration documents.

• Canada could restrict the immigration rights of citizens of countries that fail to help Canada return individuals who attempt fraudulent entry or whose removal is ordered.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Sift about how Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is currently in the hot seat after major resignations in his cabinet.