Canada announces further measures to protect borders ahead of Trump inauguration

Federal officials highlight important measures introduced to improve and strengthen Canada's border security and immigration system.

Days before the U.S presidential inauguration, the Canadian government says its new border measures will further reduce the illegal flow of migrants and illicit drugs into the United States.

At a news conference in Ottawa on the sidelines of the Premiers meeting, federal officials announced increased monitoring of the border and migrants to stave off steep tariffs threatened by incoming U.S president-elect Donald Trump.

Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said that beginning Jan. 17, two new Blackhawk helicopters will patrol the border, along with 60 new drones in the air. New aerial surveillance towers are also being erected.

Canada will soon get its first-ever pre-border clearance operation to be established in Cannon Corners, New York. The station will be staffed with both CBSA and U.S. border employees.

All the measures are part of the Liberal government’s pledge of $1.3 billion to beef up security.

McGuinty said the border money and strategy remain intact despite Parliament being prorogued until March 24, and the possibility of an election being called following the selection of a new Liberal leader.

“I have been reassured repeatedly by departments and agencies that reallocation is taking place. We have the resources,” McGuinty said.

“It’s true that we’re holding a leadership convention - but this is a mature democracy. We can do both and deal with this.”

Last year, U.S. border authorities arrested more than 19,000 people crossing illegally into the country from Canada through unprotected terrain such as deep woods and waterways.

Federal officials emphasized that less than one per cent of illegal entries into the U.S. come from Canada.

The Canada Border Services Agency removed 16,800 people illegally in Canada last year, more than double the number in 2021 and the public safety minister says the aim is to further decrease that number by 25 per cent.

As part of its border security measures, Canada will also share more personal information about permanent residents who cross into the United States with American authorities and vice versa.

It’s a new arrangement that immigration minister Marc Miller calls “mission critical.”

“By granting this extension, both countries are better equipped to screen applicants and make informed migration decisions and also prevent fraud culture,” said Miller.

The minister would not stipulate what type of information would be shared with the U.S. but said that there were “reasonable safeguards” within the agreement to allay privacy concerns.

Statistics Canada figures show that as of 2023, there were more than 8 million permanent residents in Canada.

The new policy raises concerns for Ottawa immigration lawyer Warren Creates who worries that confidential information passed on to the Americans will put a segment of the population at risk of prejudicial treatment by authorities.

“Many permanent residents may have come to Canada as refugees or asylum seekers. There is lots of information attached to their refugee claims - that is protected information,” said Creates. That information includes their security checks, what type of persecution they were facing, who they were running from and family contacts.

Creates points out that some of his clients are not able to get that data on themselves without filing an access to information request. And often, when the file arrives, much of it is redacted.

“I can understand why the Americans would want it. Information is power, but that information is super confidential.”