Fentanyl Czar to Act as Coordinator, 10 Teams of Joint Strike Force to Be Deployed: Minister

Minister of Public Safety David McGuinty speaks with RCMP Assistant Commissioner and Northwest Region Commander Lisa Moreland (R) and an RCMP Emergency Response Team member at the Canada–U.S. border in Emerson, Man., on Feb. 4, 2025. David Lipnowski/The Canadian Press

Public Safety Minister David McGuinty provided additional details about the new security measures announced by his government that delayed the imposition of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We’re going to be appointing our first fentanyl czar—the words are chosen carefully, fentanyl czar— who will serve as the main interlocutor between the Canadian and U.S. governments, and we'll enhance our collaboration in combating fentanyl,” McGuinty said while visiting the Emerson port of entry in Manitoba on Feb. 4.

McGuinty said combating fentanyl requires a multi-pronged and multi-jurisdictional approach with coordination between law enforcement, federal and provincial attorney generals, Health Canada, and Global Affairs Canada to manage the relationships with China and Mexico.

“That fentanyl czar role will be involved in helping to pull all of this together so we can get over any hurdles and execute on a plan that involves minimizing, if not eliminating, fentanyl from Canadian soil,” he said.

McGuinty added the role could be filled by the end of the week.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would create the new czar role after a second call with Trump on Feb. 3. The prime minister also said Ottawa would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations and that he signed an intelligence directive on combating fentanyl backed by a $200 million investment.

These new measures were added to the $1.3 billion border plan released by the Liberal government in mid-December.

Trump initially signed an executive order on Feb. 1 to impose tariffs on Canada, saying Canada has failed to combat criminality affecting his country.

In pausing the tariffs on Feb. 3, Trump said in an executive order he determined Canada is taking “immediate steps designed to alleviate the illegal migration and illicit drug crisis through cooperative actions.”

McGuinty said Trump had also agreed to launch a joint Canada–U.S. strike force to go after transnational organized crime. The strike force had first been proposed via Ottawa’s December border plan.

Its proposed tasks included conducting operational surges and establishing dedicated synthetic drug units.

McGuinty said the strike force will be composed of 10 teams of law enforcement, border security, and intelligence professionals from the two countries.

“That strike force is going to combat organized crime, fentanyl, and money laundering,” said McGuinty.

The minister said the objective of the border measures is to stop the United States from imposing tariffs, while also noting fentanyl has turned into a “tragedy for so many families.”

“We’re going to be really wrestling this fentanyl scourge to the ground,” he said.

McGuinty also said Trump had won the last election “fair and square” and has been following on the promises he made.

“President Trump has a job to do. Let me just be clear about this for a second,” said the minister. “He ran in an election. He had a platform, he made promises to his people. I mean, in his mind he’s delivering on those promises. We need to be respectful of that.”