Will Canada listing drug cartels as terrorists change anything?
The federal government is looking to list Mexican cartels as terrorists under Canadian law, a move that has raised concerns among experts who point out that there are other criminal groups heavily involved in the illicit drug market besides cartels.
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing concerns about the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. While the amount of fentanyl seized at the Canada-U.S. border is relatively small compared to the southern border, Canada has agreed to list Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations under the Criminal Code as part of a deal to hold off on tariffs.
Public Safety Minister David McGuinty has not yet named the specific cartels that would be designated as terrorists, but experts believe that the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) are likely candidates. These cartels have been identified as major players in transnational organized crime in Canada.
The move to list cartels as terrorist organizations follows a similar directive by President Trump in the U.S. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, believes it is a natural step for Canada to take after the U.S. designation. However, Jessica Davis, a former senior intelligence analyst with CSIS, points out that cartels meet the definition of a terrorist group under Canadian law due to their involvement in serious violence for political purposes.
While Sinaloa and the CJNG have primarily focused on smuggling drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine into Canada, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme has indicated that there are signs of cartels getting involved in drug production on Canadian soil. Additionally, the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada’s (CISC) report highlights an increase in money laundering activities by cartels in the country.
Aside from cartels, other criminal groups like Chinese triads and Iranian crime organizations are also involved in the illicit drug trade in Canada. These groups collaborate with cartels and each other, creating a complex network of transnational organized crime in the country.
The process of designating a terrorist group is meant to be apolitical, but has become politicized in recent years. Listing cartels as terrorist organizations would give law enforcement agencies more powers to investigate these groups, track their money, and disrupt their activities. However, the operational implications of adding cartels to the list remain unclear, as it is seen as an externally imposed decision to appease the U.S.
Overall, the move to list Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations in Canada reflects a growing concern over transnational organized crime and the illicit drug trade. As law enforcement agencies and intelligence services work to combat these criminal networks, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen.
