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Ontario will beef up safety alongside its border with the USA as a part of its response to tariff threats from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Premier Doug Ford mentioned Tuesday.
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The transfer, dubbed Operation Deterrence, will see some 200 Ontario Provincial Cops targeted on boosting border safety. The OPP has been growing patrols alongside the huge border utilizing airplanes, helicopters drones, boats and patrol autos.
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“Ontario has been calling on the federal government to step up and address safety and security concerns at the border,” Ford mentioned in an announcement.
“We need to see words turned into visible action. In the meantime, Ontario is stepping up with Operation Deterrence to crack down on illegal border crossings and illegal guns and drugs.”
Ford mentioned a “more co-ordinated, Team Canada approach that includes more boots on the ground” is the one option to deal with the issue.
Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian items on his first day in workplace on Jan. 20 until Canada tightens border safety, with an emphasis on fentanyl trafficking and unlawful crossings.
The province mentioned its operation, which it describes as a “preparedness and planning framework,” will goal actions outdoors of the 14 official border crossings staffed by federal border brokers.
“In partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Operation Deterrence activity will be enhanced through the use of the emergency response team, front-line officers and additional specialty resources, including canine units, commercial motor vehicle inspections and criminal investigators,” it mentioned.
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Ontario officers took half in a joint planning and readiness train with federal authorities on Friday to advertise co-ordination on the border, the province mentioned.
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The federal authorities introduced a collection of measures following Trump’s election victory within the fall to raised safe the border with a $1.3-billion package deal, in response to the menace. Trump has not mentioned if he’ll pause the tariffs.
Ontario has not acquired any new cash from the federal authorities on the brand new border measures.
Alberta introduced final month it will create a brand new sheriff unit to patrol the Canada-U.S. border. The unit can be supported by about 50 armed sheriffs, 10 chilly climate surveillance drones and 4 drug detection canines. It’s anticipated to be operational shortly, Premier Danielle Smith mentioned.
Manitoba has additionally introduced plans to beef up its border, with conservation officers serving to out with surveillance, Premier Wab Kinew mentioned final month.
The nation’s premiers plan to carry a name Wednesday to debate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation and Parliament’s prorogation, the tariff menace and a premiers’ journey to Washington, D.C., in February, Ford’s workplace mentioned.
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