Alberta Premier Daniel Smith says a long-awaited federal plan to address Canada-U.S. border issues will be unveiled on Monday.
Smith said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau briefed him on the plan Wednesday afternoon during a virtual call with leaders of 13 provinces and territories.
“He wanted to make sure we brought it first before he called the president of the United States,” Smith said in an interview Thursday on CTV Power Play, referring to President-elect Donald Trump. Ta. “And of course we’ll have more details on that on December 16th.”
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is scheduled to release her autumn economic statement on the same day. The federal government has so far declined to say when it intends to respond to President Trump’s demands for Canada to strengthen its northern border, which he claims is causing a large influx of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs into the United States. It’s here.
“When it’s rolled out, it’s going to be rolled out,” Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said after meeting virtually with premiers Wednesday afternoon. “We recognize there are moments when we can increase investment in both the RCMP and the CBSA, and some of that may require legislative authority.”
Smith and other prime ministers stressed the urgency to strengthen security along the Canada-U.S. border to prevent the Trump administration from imposing a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada.
“We have to do everything we can to show that we take the border issue seriously,” Smith told CTV’s Power Play. “But we are so close to Inauguration Day on January 20th that the question is can we develop a response quickly enough to stop it?”
Asked to confirm the rollout date, a spokesperson for LeBlanc’s office referred to comments the minister made at a press conference on Wednesday after meeting with prime ministers.
Mr Smith’s comments came on the same day the Premier announced the state’s strategy. strengthen border security Along with Montana. The $29 million plan includes the creation of a new force called the Interdiction Patrol Team (IPT), which will be under the command of the Alberta Sheriff.
Alberta’s IPT is supported by 50 specially trained security officers, four patrol dogs, 10 cold-weather drones that can operate in high winds, and four drug analyzers to test for illegal drugs. Ru.
Mr Smith also created a two-kilometre-wide zone on the Alberta border called the Red Zone, which is considered critical infrastructure, and said it would be used to protect people who attempt to cross the border illegally or smuggle illegal drugs or weapons. “We will allow sheriffs to arrest individuals who commit crimes.” We need a warrant,” the Prime Minister said at a press conference on the same day.
Alberta’s plan is to have IPT up and running by early 2025.
