Canadian officials are racing to put together a border security plan in response to president-elect Donald Trump's threats to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods.
What happened: According to the New York Times, new measures to secure the border will be finalized and presented to the Trump administration before his inauguration next month and could involve investments in drones, police dogs, and better technology and databases.
- American officials have accused Canada (and Mexico) of not doing enough to curb the flow of fentanyl across their borders or subject travellers to background checks.
Big picture: Some premiers are ramping up pressure on the federal government by taking matters into their own hands. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has appeared on U.S. networks and launched an ad campaign to highlight the relationship between Ontario and the U.S.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said this week that her government will spend $29 million to create a team of officers tasked with patrolling the Alberta-U.S. border.
Bottom line: The tariffs that Trump has threatened could destabilize the Canadian economy and send the loonie plunging even further. Initial details on the costs of the federal government’s proposed measures are expected to be shared on Monday.—SB