Canada has been granted a one-month reprieve from U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25 per-cent tariffs on all Canadian imports after a series of negotiations took place Monday between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I just had a good call with President Trump,” wrote Trudeau in a post to X Monday. “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.”
Lax border security that permitted people as well illicit drugs to enter the U.S. from Canada were the primary reasons for Trump’s punitive tariffs.
Trudeau acknowledged Trumps’ concerns regarding the the flow of fentanyl by announcing the appointment of a new “Fentanyl Czar” to tackle drug cartels and cross-border smuggling.
“In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million,” wrote Trudeau.
The prime minister confirmed that Ottawa will have a “pause” period of “at least 30 days” while the two governments “work together.”
The appointment of a fentanyl czar echoed calls from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to appoint a national border czar last week.
“The one thing that we can do this week, in just the next couple of days, to have the best chance to avoid tariffs is to show clear and unequivocal action to secure the border,” said Smith on Friday. “This should start with the appointment of a Canadian border czar to work with the new American border czar to jointly crack down hard on fentanyl and illegal migrants.”
News of the pause on tariffs prompted the Ontario government to reverse course regarding retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, including U.S.-imported alcohol which had previously been removed from LCBO shelves.
“We have some good news today. We have temporarily averted tariffs that would have severely damaged our economy, giving time for more negotiation and time for cooler heads to prevail. Thank you to the countless workers, union leaders, businesses and everyday proud Canadians who rallied together to make this happen,” wrote the provincial government in a statement Monday.
“With the U.S. pausing tariffs, Ontario will also pause our retaliatory measures. If President Trump proceeds with tariffs, we won’t hesitate to remove American products off LCBO shelves or ban American companies from provincial procurement.”
