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Canada is not known to be a major source of fentanyl, so why is Trump punishing our close ally?
...yes, we have a trade deficit, but it's because we buy more oil from Canada than we export to them.
They're literally our largest supplier of oil and oil products, next to Mexico.
NYT:
Congress in 2020 established a commission to look into ways to reduce the flow of the drugs into the country. The commission found that “Canada is not known to be a major source of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids or precursor chemicals to the United States, a conclusion primarily drawn from seizure data,” according to its February 2022 report.
Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted about 19 kilograms of fentanyl at the northern border, compared with almost 9,600 kilograms at the border with Mexico, where cartels mass-produce the drug.
Congress in 2020 established a commission to look into ways to reduce the flow of the drugs into the country. The commission found that “Canada is not known to be a major source of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids or precursor chemicals to the United States, a conclusion primarily drawn from seizure data,” according to its February 2022 report.
Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted about 19 kilograms of fentanyl at the northern border, compared with almost 9,600 kilograms at the border with Mexico, where cartels mass-produce the drug.
Illegal crossings at the US-Canada border increased in 2024, but still lag far behind the southern border. But what the hell are sanctions on food and goods going to do to solve that?
besides:
Canada announced their new border plan in Dec. 2024.
Actions and Outcomes:
89% reduction in illegal southbound movement from peak 2024 levels
77% reduction in irregular asylum claims in Canada (2024 v. same period in 2023)
Reduced visa fraud through tightened processing measures and 600% increase in visa investigations
Security screening of 100% of asylum seekers and high-risk visitors
Increased removals of failed asylum claimants (targeting 25% increase next year)
Target: Eliminate illegal border crossings through real-time surveillance of border areas
Actions and Outcomes:
Investments in border surveillance equipment and capacity (drones, towers, Black Hawk helicopters, K-9 teams), including military support for intelligence analysis and logistics
Increased federal border personnel complemented by an additional 350+ personnel and support from provinces and territories
Freed up Canadian and U.S. border officers to focus on high-risk activity by closing immigration processing loophole (flagpoling) – up to 8000 labour days saved
Target: Detect and disrupt the fentanyl trade with more technology, tools, intelligence and cross-border collaboration
Actions and Outcomes:
Establishing Canada-U.S. enforcement Strike Force, with plans to develop joint intelligence mapping with U.S. by February 2025, establish shared targets, and collaborate on specific operations
Executive Direction to Canadian intelligence agencies to immediately redirect resources to focus on transnational criminal organizations
Investments in detection capacity: X-ray devices, radiation portal monitors, chemical analyzers, postal detector dog teams
More support for law enforcement investigations through increase in lab analysis capacity, increased collaboration with U.S. DEA in areas such as training and information sharing, and new drug enforcement hubs modelled after the U.S.
Hitting back at illegal fentanyl production by increasing control and oversight of precursor chemicals, and more rapid response to identify and schedule emerging precursor chemicals
More tools to follow the money through enhanced anti-money laundering authorities and financial investigations, new border financial crimes centre, and new North American operational alert on money laundering indicators
Lab busts: Between 2018 and 2024 Canadian law enforcement disrupted and dismantled 44 lab sites tied to illicit fentanyl; multijurisdictional approach to upcoming disruption and prosecution
Target: Strengthen border security through cross-border information and intelligence sharing
Actions and Outcomes:
Joint enforcement activities underway with U.S. through Integrated Border Enforcement Teams, joint management tables, U.S. Border Enforcement Security Task Force, and joint threat assessments / operations
Investments in joint intelligence capacity to disrupt transnational organized crime and illegal drug and firearms trafficking
Enhanced information sharing (e.g., information on high-risk child sex offenders, information on bulk trading, etc.) and joint training
Target: Keep people safe through joint emergency readiness and perimeter security cooperation, especially during fire season
Actions and Outcomes:
Establishing a FEMA/PS Joint Emergency Management Council for "NORAD-like" partnership in emergency management
Providing mutual assistance when needed most (e.g., fighting Los Angeles fires)
Conducting joint emergency response exercises (EX Vital Archer, EX Cobalt Magnet)
...you'd be led to believe that there was some sort of serious infraction or breakdown in understanding about the concerns Canada has been addressing on their own regarding the 'fentynal and immigration' that Trump cited as reason for this extraordinary punishment of a key ally and neighbor.
As Canada has clearly demonstrated, they are making changes which are making a difference with their border, but as Trump said today, he's really not interested in negotiation and said that there's nothing Canada can do to avoid the tariffs he imposed.
He's essentially created a problem where none existed, and has blundered into sucker punching a very good friend of America to prove something or the other. But this is not about fentynal, immigration, or even trade.
This is about the demented ego of a megalomaniac who believes that beating up people closely allied with America behind his invented allegations proves he's a tough guy. But Trump underswung and missed, falling back onto his own nation like a punch-drunk palooka.
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