Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on Ottawa to send Canadian Armed Forces troops and helicopters to the U.S. border “to spot and intercept risks.”
That’s one of Poilievre’s many recommendations on how Canada should respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s border concerns, which triggered impending tariff threats.
Speaking in Vancouver Monday, a day before Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs are expected to take effect – as well as Canada’s retaliatory tariffs – Poilievre says the federal government also needs to hire at least 2,000 border agents.
The Conservative leader also wants the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) powers extended along the entire border, not just at border crossings.
“We need a Canada first agenda that will protect us against these unfair and unjustifiable tariffs,” he said Monday.
“That is how we become stronger, more self-reliant, and less hopelessly dependent on foreign powers and foreign governments.”
Poilievre also wants Canada to install high-powered scanners at land borders and shipping ports.
“These scanners can see through walls of containers and vehicles to spot drugs, guns and stolen cars,” he said.
Installing border surveillance towers and truck-mounted drone systems to spot incursions and track deportees to ensure they are leaving is also part of Poilievre’s recommendations. “So that we know the people who have been deported have actually left,” he said.
In December, Ottawa laid out a $1.3-billion border plan that will add personnel, helicopters, drones, drug-sniffing dogs and surveillance towers to the border.
“I’ve been calling to reinforce our border for about eight years now,” Poilievre told reporters Monday. “I was the first to come out and demand the closure of Roxham Road where tens of thousands of people entered illegally. I was then the one who forced Justin Trudeau through an ultimatum to close Roxham Road. I called for scanners to be put in at all of our ports well over a year ago to be able to intercept drugs, guns and other contraband.
“I have been saying we need to have strong borders for years, and I haven’t been saying it to please anyone in the White House. I’ve been doing it to save the lives of our people.”
Trump and Trudeau were scheduled to have a second call about tariffs on Monday afternoon.
Trump has accused Canada of taking advantage of the United States on trade, and cited fentanyl and migrants entering the U.S. from Canada as a factor in introducing tariffs on Tuesday.
Canada said it would slap retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, with the federal government releasing a detailed list of the retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion in goods.
Poilievre repeated his call for the Liberal government to reconvene Parliament to debate and pass measures to oppose the tariffs.
Trudeau prorogued Parliament until March 24 while the Liberal party chooses its next leader. The government can impose retaliatory tariffs without recalling Parliament but any legislative changes or major aid packages would require parliamentary approval.
–With files from The Canadian Press
