Part of the Canadian government’s response to concerns surrounding border security, the RCMP have chartered two Black Hawk helicopters to patrol and respond to threats at the Canada - U.S. border both entering and exiting the country. The intention is to crack down on the passage of people, goods, and drugs. At the London Airport on Tuesday afternoon, RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather detailed the vital role that air patrols play in monitoring Ontario’s borders, “There’s over 2,700 kilometers of border, stretching from Cornwall in the east through the Great Lakes up to the Lake of the Woods in the west. By utilizing these helicopters, we are able to cover large areas and respond more quickly to incidents.” The two Black Hawks are operating in addition to the RCMP’s existing fleet of nine helicopters, six of which are dedicated to border support. One Black Hawk helicopter will be dedicated to Ontario - working out of Pearson Airport in Toronto, with a second that will spend it’s time in the rest of Canada. The two crafts were contracted as charters to the RCMP at a price tag of $5.3 million - part of a larger $1.3-billion plan by the federal government to bolster border security involving helicopters, drones and deployment of nearly 10,000 front-line personnel. U.S. President Donald Trump has cited border security as a reason for his threatened 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian goods. One Black Hawk helicopter will be active in southwestern Ontario in the coming days, “You may see patrols being made in the Blackhawk helicopter and they may draw attention. I want to emphasize this does not necessarily mean that there is a specific threat to the safety in that particular area,” assured Leather. “The patrols will be routine and ongoing in Ontario and frankly throughout the rest of Canada.” Alongside regular patrols, the RCMP will also be focusing on specific areas known to be targets for illegal crossings, “we know that there are certain hotspots across Canada including an Ontario where there has been - historically - irregular migration, and of course we will deploy our air assets to those areas,” affirmed Leather. - with files from The Canadian Press
