Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province could begin policing its border with Montana as a proactive measure to avoid potential tariffs promised by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
“We’re prepared to put our resources that are under our control, to service, and make sure that we’re protecting our part of the border, which borders Montana,” Smith said.
“The U.S. President-elect has mentioned that he’s concerned about illegal migrants coming into the United States, and he’s worried about the cross border trade and drugs. We’ve been concerned about those things too.”
Smith’s comments come after an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and her fellow premiers this week to find solutions to avoid being hit with U.S. tariffs.
Trump has promised to place the 25 percent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports as of Jan. 20, 2025, his first day in office, unless the countries find a way to stem the flow of illegal migrants and drugs over their borders into the United States.
Border Jurisdiction
The responsibility for policing the land near the border lies with the province, Smith noted, adding that it’s essential for Alberta to collaborate with its federal counterparts as well as officials in Montana.“I don’t think it’s unusual to have the Alberta government take an interest, through our various law enforcement mechanisms, to make sure that we’re addressing the illegal flows, whether it’s people or drugs across the border,” she said.
“We do joint operations all the time. Of course, we’re going to reach out to our Montana counterparts and see how we can coordinate and share information.”
When questioned by reporters about how Alberta’s initiatives would work considering international borders fall under Ottawa’s authority, Smith said federal jurisdiction of the border is actually “narrow.”
“There’s a lot of land mass right after you cross the border that we’re responsible for,” she said.
A number of strategies are under consideration to demonstrate Alberta’s commitment to a cracking down on illegal items being smuggled across the border, Smith said. These measures may include increased patrols, stricter policies, and the use of drones.
“We have a strong mutual interest in solving this problem,” Smith said. “It’s been pushed to the forefront because of tariffs, but it’s still an important issue that we need to solve.”
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized Smith’s response to Trump’s tariff threat, saying her plan could undermine Canadian negotiations with the United States.
“For the premier to concede it’s a problem, that’s not how you enter a negotiation,” Nenshi said.
Alberta is home to six land ports of entry along its border with the United States.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) doesn’t have enforcement numbers specific to Alberta’s ports, but figures indicate it seized a substantial amount of drugs last year at various points of entry in the prairies.
