Saskatchewan is rolling out several new strategies to prevent the manufacturing, trafficking, and consumption of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the province.
Chief among the measures is the province’s plan to implement penalties, with fines of up to $1 million, to stop the distribution of non-medicinal drugs, Saskatchewan Justice Minister Tim McLeod announced during a Feb. 25 press conference in Saskatoon.
Existing legislation will be employed by the province to take possession of properties that are either obtained through illegal means or used for criminal purposes, McLeod said.
“We have seen a rise in fentanyl and methamphetamine overdoses and deaths,” he said. “We must recognize these substances for what they are. They are lethal poisons that need to be eradicated from our communities. No town, no family, no individual is truly safe from the far-reaching grip of illegal drug use.”
Additional strategies include the classification of drug use on private land as an act of trespassing, the annulment of driver’s licences for individuals convicted of drug offences, and the categorization of drug-related paraphernalia as street weapons, which permits police to immediately confiscate them.
Saskatchewan is also examining the possibility of permitting drug-use offenders to earn credits against court-imposed fines by participating in addiction treatment programs, McLeod said.
He noted that the measures are meant to penalize drug dealers while offering help to those battling addiction.
Tariff Measures
The measures are not specifically aimed at addressing proposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, McLeod said, but added that they could assist the province in its discussions with U.S. representatives.U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Canada with tariffs as soon as March 4 if it does not sufficiently crack down on fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration across the border.
Trump has also said he plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel next month and is considering a broad range of tariffs on a number of countries, including Canada, come April.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is one of several Canadian premiers who has travelled to the United States to meet with U.S. officials to discuss the repercussions tariffs will have on both nations.
Moe met with his American counterparts earlier this month to discuss trade, border security, and Saskatchewan’s “vital role in supplying the continent with energy and food security,” the province said in a Feb. 7 press release.
“Strengthening border security and preventing the flow of illicit drugs like Fentanyl is a concern that has been identified by the U.S. and one that I share,” Moe said in the statement. “We are already taking action as a province through our Border Security Plan to ensure we have more officers and law enforcement presence at the Saskatchewan-U.S. border.”
Saskatchewan unveiled a new border security plan last month. The initiative is a move to beef up security personnel at the border it shares with the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota.
Sixteen provincial law enforcement officers have been designated to patrol “high-priority areas” around the border, and the province is prepared to mobilize up to 79 additional officers should the need arise.
The additional officers will conduct patrols within interprovincial borders and areas north of the U.S. border to support the efforts of the Canada Border Services Agency, the province said.
Saskatchewan has also promised to supply a mobile command unit for commercial vehicle inspections, up to 16 patrol cars with licence plate readers, and other equipment such as drones, snowmobiles, and three planes for air surveillance.
