Fentanyl is claiming more lives per capita in Canada compared to the United States, as stated by Ottawa’s public safety minister on Thursday, February 6. He emphasized the interconnectedness of the two countries in addressing the opioid crisis.
US President Donald Trump has criticized Canada for insufficient action in combating the influx of fentanyl across their mutual border, using this issue to support his proposed import tariffs.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has pledged to tackle these concerns, emphasizing that less than 1% of fentanyl in the United States originates from Canada.
“On a per capita basis, we are experiencing a higher loss of Canadians than the number of Americans lost,” Public Safety Minister David McGuinty stated to the press on Thursday. “We are intertwined with this crisis.”
Recent estimates from the United States indicate that an average of 205 individuals succumb to opioid overdoses daily, primarily due to fentanyl. In Canada, the latest statistics reveal an average of 21 deaths per day, despite the fact that Canada’s population is approximately twelve times smaller than that of the United States.
“Fentanyl must be eradicated completely,” McGuinty stated following his meeting with senior officials from federal police and border agencies. This meeting aimed to implement a Can$1.3 billion (US$900 million) border security initiative, which was introduced in response to the threat of tariffs from Trump. The proposed 25% tariffs, which Trump argued were essential to address migrant crossings, were set to be enforced on Tuesday. However, the president has provided Canada with a 30-day extension to facilitate further discussions.
As part of the last-minute deal to put off the tariffs, the prime minister agreed to name a point person to lead the fight against fentanyl, with details on the mandate expected to be released this week.
“The Fentanyl Czar’s role will be to help us integrate what is a whole of society challenge,” McGuinty said.
“Fentanyl is a foreign affairs issue, it’s a law enforcement issue, it’s an intelligence issue, it’s a public health issue, it’s a tracing issue in terms of the ingredients that end up being used in the production,” he added.
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