Canada has named Kevin Brosseau, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police member and intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as its new fentanyl tsar amid escalating trade tensions with the United States.
The appointment comes as President Donald Trump paused his threat of 25% import taxes on all Canadian goods for 30 days in February, following new border security agreements with Trudeau. Trump has now added another layer of pressure, announcing plans for a 25% tax on global steel and aluminum imports starting March 12, which would significantly impact Canada as the largest supplier of these metals to the US.
Speaking from Brussels after European Union discussions, Trudeau warned about the potential consequences: “Any thickening of the border, any tariffs that put on Canadian imports, will hurt American manufacturing, will hurt American consumers, and we don’t want that.”
In response to the mounting pressure, all 13 Canadian provincial and territorial leaders have converged on Washington DC to lobby US lawmakers against the tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford emphasized the significance of their presence, stating: “Make no mistake about it, the president knows we’re here, knows we’re concerned.”
Canada’s finance minister is also meeting with key US officials, including Trump’s commerce secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett. While Canada has promised swift retaliation to any implemented tariffs, their stated preference is to avoid such measures entirely.
In announcing Brosseau’s appointment, Trudeau’s office emphasized that “less than 1% of fentanyl intercepted at the US border comes from Canada,” but acknowledged that “any amount of fentanyl was too much.” The government detailed new security measures, including Black Hawk helicopters, drones, and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel to monitor the 8,890km boundary, along with a C$200m investment in intelligence operations.
The current tensions follow Trump’s recent trade confrontations with both Canada and Mexico. On February 4, he delayed threatening 25% tariffs on all goods from both nations for 30 days, after securing commitments on illegal migration and drug trafficking control. These developments occur while Trump maintains a separate trade dispute with China, implementing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, which has prompted retaliatory measures against US goods.
The situation highlights the complex relationship between the US and its largest trading partners: Canada, Mexico, and China.
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