Public safety minister heads to Washington to discuss efforts to fight fentanyl

OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister David McGuinty is headed to Washington to discuss the latest efforts by Canada and the United States to fight deadly fentanyl.

Joining McGuinty is newly appointed “fentanyl czar” Kevin Brosseau and representatives of the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency.

The Canadians are slated to meet senators and senior White House officials during the visit, which concludes Friday.

The meetings will unfold against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose widespread tariffs against Canadian products.

Trump’s executive order to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada, with a 10 per cent levy on energy, was delayed until March 4 after Canada agreed to introduce new border security measures.

While the original order was tied to the southbound flow of fentanyl, the president said earlier this month the pause would allow time to reach a “final economic deal.”

U.S. border patrol statistics indicate less than one per cent of fentanyl seized is found at the northern border.

However, Canadian officials have expressed a willingness do more to combat production and sale of the drug.

In a social media post Tuesday, McGuinty said the two countries “must work together” to keep communities safe and to “grow our integrated economies.”

Canada recently listed seven transnational criminal organizations as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code to fight fentanyl trafficking.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

Jesmeen Gill, The Canadian Press