Canada bracing for 'tough' talks as Trump's pick calls northern border an 'extreme vulnerability'
The Canadian government is aware it's likely in for "tough conversations" with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's administration, after his border czar said there is "an extreme national security vulnerability" he intends to tackle at the Canada-U.S. border.
It was the first issue discussed, and a dominant focus at today's Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations, according to its lead, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who repeatedly sought to offer assurances that the Liberal government takes the border "very, very seriously."
- Download the CTV News App for breaking news alerts and video on all the top stories
- In Pictures: Meet the people tapped to be in Trump's administration
In an interview with 7News, Trump's new border lead Tom Homan was asked about instances of people walking across the border from Canada, and how that compares to the situation at the southern border.
Homan responded by stating that after the current administration reallocated resources to deal with those coming in from Mexico, the agents left at the Canada-U.S. border are "overwhelmed," and "overrun."
"The problem with the northern border is a huge national security issue," he said.
Homan said that's because "special interest aliens from countries that sponsor terror," have the organizational and financial capacity to fly to Canada to come into the U.S. because they know there are fewer officers stationed up north.
"It's an extreme national security vulnerability… and it's one of the things I'll tackle as soon as I'm in the White House."
"When it comes to our southern border and the U.S.'s northern border, you see there the alignment of interests in making sure that it is safe, that it is secure," Immigration Minister Marc Miller told reporters on Wednesday. "I expect there to be some tough conversations," he said.
Miller said Canada does, and will continue to, apprehend individuals who cross the border "in an irregular fashion, or in a fashion where they're not entitled to" enter the country. He also said the government will continue to work in the interest of its citizens, which he sees as being aligned with the view of both the current and incoming U.S. administrations.
Trump has tapped Homan – a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director and "Project 2025" contributor – to oversee America's northern and southern borders.
In vowing to address the issue "right off the bat," Homan said he expects "tough conversations" with Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure immigration laws are enforced.
"There needs to be some negotiation between the two governments… there has to be an understanding from Canada that they can't be a gateway to terrorists coming into the United States."
In an interview with CTV's Power Play on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he didn't agree with Homan's characterization of how Canada manages its border.
"I think we work successfully with the Americans over decades to manage this… long, undefended border. I'm briefed regularly," he said, later adding that it's not "an open buffet" for those wanting to come to Canada, and if it's done illegally, they will face law enforcement.
Homan will also be the lead on Trumps' plan for mass deportations and has already warned those in the U.S. illegally to "start packing."
Miller said he has yet to speak with Homan directly, but he looks forward to doing so.
"We have had, over the last number of years, volumes of asylum seekers coming into Canada, for example, in historically high numbers. [For] a lot of reasons that have very little to do with Canada," Miller said, adding that the federal government will continue to mange its immigration flow "regardless" of who is in power south of the border.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), nearly 24,000 encounters with migrants were recorded between posts on the Canada-U.S. border between October 2023 and September 2024, which is a significant surge compared to 916 encounters during that same period in 2021.
U.S. border officials refer to an "encounter" as someone who is inadmissible to the U.S., or when border patrol officers find someone who has illegally crossed the border into the U.S. between border posts.
When asked about efforts to address that sharp increase, LeBlanc said the numbers “will come down.”
Leblanc also insisted the RCMP will be given more resources to deal with human smuggling at the border.
“The commissioner of the RCMP tells me that he's going to be ramping up and re-affecting different resources as the needs arise,” Leblanc said.
Tom Homan speaks as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump listens at a primary election night party in Nashua, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Matt Rourke / The Associated Press)
Canada concerned over U.S. asylum surge
These cross-border comments come as Canada is bracing for a potential new surge of asylum claims coming from the U.S. to Canada, as a result of Trump's vow to send millions of undocumented immigrants back to "their country of origin."
Within days Trump's re-election, the RCMP confirmed it was "on high alert" and prepared contingency plans for all outcomes, including a potential huge influx of asylum seekers crossing the border ahead of Trump's inauguration.
The plan includes deploying more RCMP officers along the border, buying or renting space to temporarily hold migrants, purchasing more police vehicles, and leaning on resources from other provinces as they did following the 2016 election.
Though, this planning comes amid understaffing concerns from the union representing front-line customs and immigration officers at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) has said it would need between 2,000 and 3,000 additional officers in order to effectively do their job.
In an interview with CTV's Power Play on Wednesday, CIU National President Mark Weber said the union has been raising staffing concerns “for a long time.”
“We've been making that case at every opportunity for years,” Weber told host Vassy Kapelos.
Asked to respond to this, LeBlanc said the senior executives who run the CBSA have a different position. "The CBSA has very effective controls at recognized border crossings," he said.
Weber also called Homan’s description of the Canada-U.S. border as a national security issue “concerning.”
“Time will tell you know as to what the effect will be at our borders with statements like that,” Weber said.
During Trump's first term a wave of asylum seekers began entering Canada illegally, utilizing a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement that required people to claim asylum in whichever country they came to first.
At the time, Trudeau publicly declared that those "fleeing persecution, terror & war," would be welcome in Canada.
However, in recent years the Canadian government has begun taking a more restrictive approach to immigration.
Last year, in conjunction with U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Canada, the two administrations modified the Safe Third Country Agreement and closed what had been a much-used crossing at Roxham Road in Quebec.
Miller said he expects the U.S. to continue to abide by the Safe Third Country Agreement to manage the flow of migrants.
"It is in the national interest of both countries to make sure that that we have managed flows of migration," Miller said.
Further, this fall, Trudeau announced a major cut to Canada's immigration targets.
Referencing comments Miller made earlier in the week, LeBlanc said the government's current position is "not everyone is welcome to come to Canada in an irregular pathway."
With files from CTV News' Joy Malbon, Judy Trinh and Joe Lofaro
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian team told Trump's tariffs unavoidable right now, but solutions on the table in surprise Mar-a-Lago meeting
During a surprise dinner at Mar-a-Lago, representatives of the federal government were told U.S. tariffs from the incoming Donald Trump administration cannot be avoided in the immediate term, two government sources tell CTV News.
Muskoka reacts to major snowfall, hundreds stuck on Highway 11
From road closures, power outages, weather declarations and nonstop shovelling, Muskoka residents were faced with nearly a metre of persistent snowfall on Saturday.
Saskatoon priest accused of sexual assault says he meant to encourage young girl with hug and kiss
A Saskatoon priest accused of sexual assault says he meant to encourage and reassure a young girl when he hugged and kissed during his testimony at Saskatoon Provincial Court Friday.
Toronto man accused of posing as surgeon, giving four women injections
A 29-year-old Toronto man has been charged after allegedly posing as a surgeon and providing cosmetic procedures on several women.
Bob Bryar, drummer for rock band My Chemical Romance, dead at 44
Bob Bryar, former drummer for the band My Chemical Romance, has died. He was reportedly 44.
Trump threatens 100% tariff on the BRIC bloc of nations if they act to undermine U.S. dollar
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday threatened 100 per cent tariffs against a bloc of nine nations if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar.
'Disappointing': Toronto speed camera cut down less than 24 hours after being reinstalled
A Toronto speed camera notorious for issuing tens of thousands of tickets to drivers has been cut down again less than 24 hours after it was reinstalled.
W5 Investigates 'I never took part in beheadings': Canadian ISIS sniper has warning about future of terror group
An admitted Canadian ISIS sniper held in one of northeast Syria’s highest-security prisons has issued a stark warning about the potential resurgence of the terror group.
Bruce the tiny Vancouver parrot lands internet fame with abstract art
Mononymous painter Bruce has carved a lucrative niche on social media with his abstract artworks, crafted entirely from the colourful juices of fruits.
Local Spotlight
Regina's LED volume wall leaving Sask. months after opening
Less than a year after an LED volume wall was introduced to the film world in Saskatchewan, the equipment is making its exit from the province.
'My dear Carmel': Lost letters returned to 103-year-old Guelph, Ont. woman
A young history buff was able to reunite a Guelph, Ont. woman with letters written by her husband almost 80 years ago.
'We have to do something': Homeless advocates in Moncton reaching out for help over holidays
Twice a week, Joanne and Jeff Jonah fill up their vehicle full of snacks and sandwiches and deliver them to the homeless in downtown Moncton, N.B.
100-year-old Winnipeg man walks blocks to see his wife
It's considered lucky to live to be 100, but often when you hit that milestone, you're faced with significant mobility issues. Not Winnipeg's Jack Mudry. The centenarian regularly walks five blocks to get where he wants to go, the care home where his wife Stella lives.
Video shows B.C. cat bursting through pet door to confront raccoons
Several hungry raccoons were chased off a B.C. couple’s deck this week by one over-confident house cat – who was ultimately lucky to saunter away unscathed.
Trailer Park Boys host Canadian premiere of new movie in Dartmouth
Sunday night was a big night for the Trailer Park Boys, as Ricky, Julian and Bubbles hosted an advanced screening of their new movie in Dartmouth, N.S.
Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
From cellphones to dentures: Inside Halifax Transit’s lost and found
Every single item misplaced on a bus or ferry in the Halifax Regional Municipality ends up in a small office at the Halifax Transit Bridge Terminal in Dartmouth, N.S.
Torontonians identify priorities, concerns in new city survey
A new public opinion survey has found that 40 per cent of Torontonians don’t feel safe, while half reported that the quality of life in the city has worsened over the last year.