Newly-appointed Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc, along with his cabinet colleagues, will announce fresh measures to strengthen security at the Canada-U.S. border within the next hour.
It comes after the fall economic statement tabled on Monday included $1.3 billion for the border, without details.
LeBlanc, who was sworn in Monday following the dramatic departure of his predecessor, Chrystia Freeland, will be joined by Immigration Minister Marc Miller, International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks.
The announcement comes amidst growing pressure from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to crack down on border security and the trafficking of drugs.
Last month, Trump said he will sign an executive order imposing a 25-per cent tariff on all products arriving in the United States from Canada and Mexico.
The president-elect posted to Truth Social that the duties will be among his actions on his first day back in the White House on Jan. 20 — Inauguration Day.
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Trump said the tariff will remain in place until both countries stop drugs, in particular fentanyl, and people from illegally crossing the borders. He said until those issues are solved, Canada and Mexico will “pay a very big price!”
Earlier this month, LeBlanc had said Ottawa “shares” Donald Trump’s concerns about the flow of irregular migrants and illegal drugs across the world’s largest undefended border.
He had said more border measures would soon be announced.
“There will be additional resources, both human and equipment. We’ve said that consistently,” LeBlanc recently told a House of Commons committee.
Freeland resigned from cabinet early Monday — doing so in a scathing letter to the prime minister that cited a difference of opinion on the direction of federal finances — leaving Karina Gould, leader of the government in the House of Commons, to table the Fall Economic Statement in the chamber.
LeBlanc, who has served in cabinet since 2015, was sworn in at Rideau Hall to the role on Monday, becoming minister of finance and intergovernmental affairs.
He will also remain as minister of public safety, which is responsible for both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency.
–with files from Global’s Alex Boutilier
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