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
DEVELOPING Police find bag carried by gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, say he likely fled NYC on bus
Investigators found a backpack in Central Park that was carried by the shooter, police said Friday, following a massive sweep to find it in a vast area with lakes and ponds, meadows, playgrounds and a densely wooded section called 'The Ramble.'
A police photographer recounts the harrowing day of the Polytechnique massacre
Montreal crime scene photographer Harold Rosenberg witnessed a lot of horror over his thirty years on the job, though nothing of the magnitude of what he captured with his lens at the Polytechnique on December 6, 1989. He described the day of the Montreal massacre to CTV Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin.
Quebec premier wants to ban praying in public
Premier François Legault took advantage of the last day of the parliamentary session on Friday to announce to 'Islamists' that he will 'fight' for Quebec values and possibly use the notwithstanding clause to ban prayer in public places such as parks.
Northern Ontario man sentenced for killing his dog
WARNING: This article contains graphic details of animal abuse which may be upsetting to some readers. A 40-year-old northern Ontario man is avoiding prison after pleading guilty to killing his dog earlier this year.
'Home Alone' house up for sale for US$3.8 million in Chicago suburb – but not the one you're thinking of
Social media sleuths noticed that the house next door to the iconic 'Home Alone' house in Winnetka is now up for sale.
Purolator, UPS pause shipments from couriers amid Canada Post strike
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
NDP's Singh forces debate on $250 cheques for more Canadians; Conservatives cut it short
With the fate of the federal government's promised $250 cheques for 18.7 million workers hanging in the balance, the NDP forced a debate Friday on a motion pushing for the prime minister to expand eligibility. The conversation was cut short, though, by Conservative MPs' interventions.
Sask. father who kept daughter from mom to prevent COVID-19 vaccine free from additional prison time
Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan father who withheld his then seven-year-old daughter from her mom for nearly 100 days to prevent the girl from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, was handed a 12-month prison sentence and 200 days probation on Friday, but credited with time served.
South Korea president apologizes for declaring martial law, but did not resign. Now he faces an impeachment vote
South Korean lawmakers are set to vote later Saturday on impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, as protests grew nationwide calling for his removal.
Local Spotlight
'A well-loved piece': Historic carousel display from Hudson’s Bay Company store lands at Winnipeg shop
When a carousel setup from the Hudson’s Bay Company became available during an auction, a Winnipeg business owner had to have it.
Regina home recognized internationally for architectural design
Jane Arthur and her husband David began a unique construction project in 2014. Now, a decade later, their home in Regina's Cathedral neighbourhood has won a title in the Urban House and Villa category at the World Architecture Festival.
Calgary director Kiana Rawji turns her lens toward slums of Nairobi with 'Mama of Manyatta'
Two films shot in Kenya by a director and writer based in Brooklyn who grew up in Calgary are getting their Calgary premiere screening Saturday.
N.S. woman finds endangered leatherback sea turtle washed up on Cape Breton beach
Mary Janet MacDonald has gone for walks on Port Hood Beach, N.S., most of her life, but in all those years, she had never seen anything like the discovery she made on Saturday: a leatherback sea turtle.
'It moved me': Person returns stolen Prada bag to Halifax store; owner donates proceeds
A Halifax store owner says a person returned a Prada bag after allegedly stealing it.
'It's all about tradition': Bushwakker marking 30 years of blackberry mead
The ancient art of meadmaking has become a holiday tradition for Regina's Bushwakker Brewpub, marking 30 years of its signature blackberry mead on Saturday.
Alberta photographer braves frigid storms to capture the beauty of Canadian winters
Most people want to stay indoors when temperatures drop to -30, but that’s the picture-perfect condition, literally, for Angela Boehm.
N.S. teacher, students help families in need at Christmas for more than 25 years
For more than a quarter-century, Lisa Roach's middle school students have been playing the role of Santa Claus to strangers during the holidays.
Nova Scotia girl battling rare disease pampered with Swiftie spa day
A Nova Scotia girl battling a rare disease recently had her 'Wildest Dreams' fulfilled when she was pampered with a Swiftie salon day.