Canada’s ‘fentanyl czar’ will be appointed before Trump’s tariff pause ends: public safety minister

Canada is gearing up to appoint a new “fentanyl czar” to tackle the deadly opioid crisis in the country. Public Safety Minister David McGuinty announced that the appointment will be made before U.S. President Donald Trump’s next deadline for imposing tariffs on Canadian goods.

“We intend to be way more proactive than that,” McGuinty stated during a press conference on Thursday. “We’re moving forward now.”

The fentanyl czar position was a result of a last-minute agreement between Canadian and American officials to prevent a major trade war. Trump had initially threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on almost all Canadian goods, prompting Canada to respond with retaliatory tariffs. However, both sides agreed to postpone the tariffs until March 4, following negotiations.

As part of the deal, Canada committed to appointing a fentanyl czar, designating Mexican cartels as terrorists, and contributing $200 million to establish a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force focused on combating organized crime and money laundering.

McGuinty assured that the fentanyl czar would be in place by the March 4 deadline and that the specifics of the role would be finalized by the end of the week. He emphasized the multifaceted nature of the fentanyl crisis, stating that it is a foreign affairs, law enforcement, intelligence, and public health issue.

According to a government source, the fentanyl czar position was proposed by the Canadians, who are seeking a serving or former police officer to fill the role promptly. The objective is to enhance information-sharing with the United States.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme described the fentanyl czar as a “conduit” for coordinating federal government efforts and briefing top officials. He envisioned the czar building relationships with counterparts in the U.S. and Mexico without interfering with the RCMP’s operations.

Supt. Marc Cochlin, CEO of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams, supported the appointment of a fentanyl czar as a strategic move. He stressed the importance of addressing mental health and addictions alongside enforcement efforts to effectively combat the crisis.

Overall, the establishment of a fentanyl czar underscores Canada’s commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic comprehensively. With a designated leader overseeing a coordinated approach, the country aims to make significant strides in curbing the fentanyl crisis and safeguarding public health and safety.