Canada launches $1.3b border security plan under US pressure

Four Canadian ministers unveiled a border security plan on Tuesday, previously shared with the incoming US administration under President-elect Donald Trump. The strategy prioritises surveillance, intelligence, and advanced technology.

Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Finance, and Intergovernmental Affairs, described a meeting with Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, as "encouraging." LeBlanc stated, "I shared the details of our plan with Mr. Homan and was optimistic about our discussion, as well as talks with incoming Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick."

The announced measures include enhancing US-Canada border security through the deployment of helicopters, drones, surveillance towers, sniffer dogs, and the establishment of a "joint strike force" to combat transnational organised crime.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority government has committed C$1.3 billion (£741 million) over six years to bolster border security, addressing challenges such as fentanyl trafficking, irregular migration, and organised crime.

This plan emerges amidst US pressure to strengthen border control, following Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico unless efforts to curb migration and drug trafficking are intensified. In the past year, US authorities apprehended over 23,000 individuals near the US-Canada border, more than twice the previous year’s figure, though still negligible compared to the 1.5 million apprehensions at the US-Mexico border.

Canadian police have increased cameras and sensors in high-traffic areas of the border over the past four years but acknowledge the difficulty in halting southbound crossings.

Experts suggest the emphasis on the border issue is more about perception than reality, proposing that Canada focus on preventing individuals from entering the country in the first place. Measures already in place include stricter visa issuance and denying entry to some visa-holders.

Canada also plans to amend its immigration laws to allow authorities to "cancel, suspend, or vary immigration documents for public interest reasons," according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller.

Such changes could apply in cases like widespread fraud. Additionally, measures will be introduced to expedite asylum claims, particularly those deemed unlikely to succeed. Miller announced the termination of "flagpoling," a practice where temporary residents briefly exit and re-enter Canada to renew their status.

Although much attention has focused on migrants moving southward into the US, Canada is preparing for an influx of individuals fleeing Trump’s mass deportation threats. Miller warned against illegal border crossings into Canada during winter, emphasising the associated dangers.

The Trudeau government, already under strain, faced further instability on Monday when Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned. With falling approval ratings and internal calls for his resignation, Trudeau’s leadership remains under significant pressure.