By Canadian Press

‘Fentanyl czar’ will serve as liaison between U.S. and Canada, minister says

Feb 4, 2025 | 11:22 AM

OTTAWA — Federal Public Safety Minister David McGuinty says Canada’s new “fentanyl czar” will serve as a liaison between Canada and the U.S. on cross-border efforts to curb fentanyl traffic.

McGuinty was in Emerson, Man., this morning attending a border security exercise.

Ottawa announced the new position on Monday in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.

Those tariffs were to have taken effect today but Trump called them off until March after speaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about Canada’s border response on Monday.

McGuinty says the fentanyl czar is among some additions to the $1.3 billion border plan Canada announced weeks ago in an attempt to head off Trump’s tariff threat.

Less than one per cent of fentanyl entering the United States comes from Canada, and McGuinty says illegal border crossings from Canada to the U.S. are down 89 per cent since last summer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025

The Canadian Press