The Canadian government will significantly increase border security measures in response to concerns raised by US President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reports, citing Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
The move aims to preempt the imposition of 25% tariffs threatened by the Trump administration.
Following a dinner meeting at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a small delegation of Canadian officials, LeBlanc confirmed a “mutual understanding” was reached regarding US concerns about border security. He told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that the government will announce details of increased resources “in the coming days or weeks.” These enhancements are expected to include additional drones, helicopters, and personnel for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The discussions centered on issues raised by President Trump in a Monday social media post, where he threatened tariffs on both Canada and Mexico unless they strengthened efforts to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration. LeBlanc specifically mentioned discussions with President Trump’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, about the tariffs and border security. The two men have exchanged text messages since the Mar-a-Lago meeting and are expected to meet again shortly.
LeBlanc revealed that President Trump invited Prime Minister Trudeau to Florida during a phone call on Monday evening. On Saturday, President Trump said on social media that Prime Minister Trudeau had “made a commitment to work with us” to curb drug trafficking.
