BONNYVILLE - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Kevin Brosseau as Canada’s new fentanyl czar. Brosseau is originally from Bonnyville and has spent time as the deputy commissioner for the RCMP.
Brosseau’s appointment aligns with Canada's $1.3 billion boarder plan to stop the fentanyl trade, with “new Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers, and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel working on protecting the border,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
Trudeau said Brosseau's appointment as fentanyl czar and partnership with the United States will help dismantle the fentanyl trade.
Brosseau’s appointment as fentanyl czar will “accelerate Canada’s efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle the fentanyl trade, in partnership with the United States. With an over 20-year career in public safety and national security including tackling drug trafficking and organized crime, Mr. Brosseau will bring tremendous value to this position, and his work will help keep Canadians safe,” said Trudeau.
According to the government of Canada, Brosseau’s extensive experience in law enforcement and recent work as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister will aid in his collaboration with U.S counterparts and law enforcement agencies to tackle the fentanyl trade,
“Recently, as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brosseau navigated Canada’s most sensitive security challenges. His demonstrated expertise tackling drug trafficking, organized crime networks, and other national security threats will bring tremendous value to this position,” reads the statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
Canada will be expanding detection capacity at border entries for drugs and firearms and building a Canadian Drug Analysis Centre to identify where and how illegal drug samples are manufactured. Chemical detection tools, canine teams and a new Precursor Chemical Risk Management Unit are being deployed
“In the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, we introduced strong measures such as steeper penalties and regulatory changes to fight financial crimes, including money laundering, that often enable fentanyl trafficking.”
Canada will now be listing organized crime cartels as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code.
“This listing will strengthen the RCMP’s ability to prevent and disrupt cartel activities in our country,” reads the statement.
