Fentanyl czar says government's border bill will help in fight against lethal drug
OTTAWA – Canada's fentanyl czar says the fight against the deadly opioid would get a boost from proposed new tools for law enforcement in the Liberal government's recently tabled border bill.
Kevin Brosseau, the federal point person on fentanyl, welcomes provisions in the Strong Borders Act to increase inspection powers, give police easier access to information, crack down on money laundering and improve control of chemicals used to make the drug.
Brosseau was appointed fentanyl commissioner in February in response to the White House's vocal concerns about the southbound flow of the synthetic opioid into the United States — criticism it used to justify tariffs against Canada.
In an interview, Brosseau said Canada is 'not the significant source' of fentanyl entering the United States, but reiterated his stance that being the source of any of the drug is a concern because small amounts can have devastating effects.
Brosseau, a former senior Mountie, said his American counterparts have expressed 'deep appreciation' for Canada's efforts to address fentanyl, given the U.S. focus on hardening the border and protecting the homeland.
He said they want to take additional steps in 'a collaborative approach' with Canada to address any gaps in areas such as information sharing.
As a result, Brosseau said, his message of integrating and amplifying the work on fentanyl north of the border 'has been well received' by the Americans.
'We know domestically, in communities across this country, there is a problem with fentanyl production, supply, trafficking and use,' he said.
An average of about 21 people a day are dying in Canada from using the drug, 'and that's what incentivizes me to act and do something.'
The Liberal government's wide-ranging border bill has drawn pointed criticism from civil libertarians and refugee protection advocates.
The legislation contains several elements Brosseau sees as helpful in tackling fentanyl, including a requirement that owners and operators at certain ports provide facilities for the Canada Border Services Agency to examine and detain goods bound for export.
The bill would also remove barriers that prevent police from searching mail to advance a criminal investigation, where authorized to do so under the law, and expand Canada Post's inspection authority to open mail.
The legislation would also make it easier for authorities to access information about internet subscribers, enable the health minister to more rapidly control precursor chemicals that can be used to produce illicit drugs and introduce new restrictions on large cash transactions.
Brosseau suggested a comprehensive approach is key because, otherwise, fighting fentanyl producers and traffickers becomes a game of whack-a-mole, with a new vulnerability popping up as soon as one is eliminated.
'Criminal organizations are incredibly adept at figuring out what the weak points are, and when the weak points are found, they will be exploited until you close it off,' he said.
The proposed legislation builds on earlier Canadian border security measures, including the introduction of round-the-clock border surveillance using helicopters, drones and towers.
Ottawa is also working with Washington on a North American 'joint strike force' to target organized crime groups that work across borders.
Overall, Brosseau is taking a broad view of the fentanyl problem, stressing the need to hold those who profit from the drug accountable and make sure authorities have the needed tools, while also putting programs in place to help addicted people find a path to recovery.
'I call it an all-of-society approach,' he said. 'And the conversations I have with everybody (are) that there are no free rides in this.'
Brosseau said the scourge of fentanyl and other opioids has become a concern on his street among 'parents like me' — part of a larger national conversation.
He said he's in a position to provide some comfort and security to fellow parents worried about their children who might be exposed to drugs, and solace to those who are going through heartache by showing 'that we're going to do something about it.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday. The man, Marcos Leao, was later released without charges and said the Marines were just doing their jobs. A U.S. Army North spokesperson said the troops have the authority to temporarily detain people under specific circumstances. He said those detentions end when the person can be transferred to 'appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel.' Leao's detention shows how the troops' deployment is putting them closer to carrying out law enforcement actions. Already, National Guard soldiers have been providing security on raids as Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown. Leao, a former Army combat engineer, said he was rushing to get to a Veterans Affairs appointment when he stepped past a piece of caution tape outside the federal building. He looked up to find a Marine sprinting toward him. 'I had my headphones in, so I didn't hear them,' Leao said. 'They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.' Leao was placed in zip ties and held for more than two hours by the Marines and members of the National Guard, he said. After Los Angeles police arrived, he was released without charges, he said. The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'I didn't know it was going to be this intense here,' he said later. A U.S. official told the AP that a civilian had stepped over the line. He was warned they would take him down and they did, according to the official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. About 200 Marines out of the 700 deployed arrived in the city Friday, joining 2,000 members of the National Guard that have been stationed outside federal buildings this week in Los Angeles. Another 2,000 Guard members were notified of deployment earlier this week. Before the unusual deployment, the Pentagon scrambled to establish rules to guide U.S. Marines who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil. The forces have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, the military has said. But the use of the active-duty forces still raises difficult questions. 'I believe that this is an inevitable precursor of things yet to come when you put troops with guns right next to civilians who are doing whatever they do,' said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps. prosecutor and military judge. He said it's an example of Trump's attempt to unravel the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars active-duty forces from conducting law enforcement. ___ Watson reported from San Diego and Baldor from Washington.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba trade council meets
Manitoba's trade council met Friday to discuss the province's ongoing trade relationship with the United States. Premier Wab Kinew announced the meeting in a news release, adding it featured discussion about the province's ongoing wildfire situation and a report back from the first ministers meeting. Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses updated the council on the passage of Manitoba's free trade legislation, new legislation to make it easier to trade with other provinces and territories, new funding to support research and attract American talent to Manitoba and the province's work with Selkirk's Gerdau steel mill to mitigate the impact of new steel tariffs. The province continues to offer tax deferrals for businesses affected by tariffs and wildfires. Formed in January, the trade council includes more than a dozen leaders from the private sector, business associations and labour groups. — Free Press staff
Vancouver Sun
3 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Israel gets help shooting down Iranian missiles from U.S. air defense systems, destroyer
WASHINGTON — American air defense systems and a Navy destroyer helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles Friday that Tehran launched in response to Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and top military leaders, U.S. officials said. The U.S. has both ground-based Patriot missile defense systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defense systems in the Middle East capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Iran fired in multiple barrages in retaliation for Israel's initial attack. A Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea also shot down Iranian missiles heading toward Israel, one official said. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Israel launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran's nuclear and military structure Friday, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to assault key facilities and kill top generals and scientists — a barrage it said was necessary before its adversary got any closer to building an atomic weapon. Iran retaliated late Friday by unleashing scores of ballistic missiles on Israel, where explosions flared in the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below. In a second round of attacks, sirens and explosions, possibly from Israeli interceptors, could be heard booming in the sky over Jerusalem early Saturday. The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by the earlier wave of missiles, to head to shelter. Israel's paramedic services said 34 people were wounded in the barrage on the Tel Aviv area, including a woman who was critically injured after being trapped under rubble. In Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, an Associated Press journalist saw burned out cars and at least three damaged houses, including one where the front was nearly entirely torn away. The United States is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes. The Navy directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House, U.S. officials said. American fighter jets also are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and air bases in the region are taking additional security precautions, the officials said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public or to discuss ongoing operations. President Donald Trump met with his National Security Council principals Friday to discuss options. The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a U.S. official. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Navy has additional assets that it could surge to the Middle East if needed, particularly its aircraft carriers and the warships that sail with them. The USS Carl Vinson is in the Arabian Sea — the only aircraft carrier in the region. The carrier USS Nimitz is in the Indo-Pacific and could be directed toward the Middle East if needed, and the USS George Washington just left its port in Japan and could also be directed to the region if so ordered, one of the officials said. Then-President Joe Biden initially surged ships to protect Israel, a close U.S. ally, following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza. It was seen as a deterrent against Hezbollah and Iran at the time. On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
