{"id":14852,"date":"2025-01-30T00:48:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T00:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/01\/30\/canada-should-appoint-border-czar-to-work-collaboratively-with-u-s-alberta-premier-says\/"},"modified":"2025-01-30T00:48:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T00:48:41","slug":"canada-should-appoint-border-czar-to-work-collaboratively-with-u-s-alberta-premier-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/01\/30\/canada-should-appoint-border-czar-to-work-collaboratively-with-u-s-alberta-premier-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada should appoint \u2018border czar\u2019 to work collaboratively with U.S., Alberta premier says"},"content":{"rendered":"


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As the threat of 25 per cent tariffs looms over Canada, Alberta\u2019s premier says Ottawa should appoint a \u201cborder czar\u201d to work collaboratively with the United States.<\/p>\n

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Danielle Smith told reporters Wednesday that a Canadian border czar<\/a> would work with American counterpart Tom Homan to crack down on fentanyl and illegal crossings \u2014 something U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a> has repeatedly said is a major issue.<\/p>\n

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Smith said having a border czar, on top of a $1.3-billion border security plan pledged by Ottawa, would further help Canada\u2019s chances to avoid the tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose on Saturday.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe one thing that we can do this week, in just the next couple of days, to have the best chance to avoid tariffs is to show clear and unequivocal action to secure the border,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

She said a retired military general would be the right fit for the role.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe need someone who understands military operations, who understands deployment, who understands the seriousness with which we have to take this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Smith said she would endorse Alberta\u2019s interim top bureaucrat, Paul Wynnyk, for the position.<\/p>\n

Wynnyk is a longtime bureaucrat who has served as Alberta\u2019s deputy minister of health and municipal affairs since his 38-year career in the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n

Smith said creating a border czar position likely wouldn\u2019t appease Trump, but it wouldn\u2019t hurt Canada\u2019s chances either.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019ll be other things that we will need to work on, and we will do so.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBut I am convinced, after speaking with dozens of elected representatives, administrative administration officials and the president himself that this is the most important first step.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Trump\u2019s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce, billionaire financier Howard Lutnick, told the U.S. Senate during his Wednesday confirmation hearing that he sees the tariffs as a way to get Canada to take action on border security.<\/p>\n

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