The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the appointment of Kevin Brosseau as Canada’s new Fentanyl Czar, effective immediately.
Federal officials say fentanyl is a lethal drug that has torn apart communities and families across Canada and the United States.
The scourge of fentanyl must be wiped from the face of the Earth, its production must be shut down, and its profiteers must be punished, Federal officials added.
“Fentanyl is a lethal drug that must be eradicated from our communities,” the Prime Minister stated, in a media release.
“Today’s appointment of Kevin Brosseau 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.”
Federal officials say as Fentanyl Czar, Brosseau will work closely with U.S. counterparts and law enforcement agencies to accelerate Canada’s ongoing work to detect, disrupt, and dismantle the fentanyl trade.
Brosseau brings extensive law enforcement experience, having served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for over 20 years, including as Deputy Commissioner and top cop in Manitoba.
Recently, as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, 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, Federal officials added.
“Canada needs a Fentanyl Czar who will co-ordinate between agencies, move quickly to tackle challenges, and bring over 20 years of RCMP experience to a crisis that is plaguing our communities,” stated David McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, in a press releasew.
“Between cities and provinces, as well as our international borders, this person will need to work with all levels of government, with credibility as a team player. Working closely with our American counterparts to disrupt and dismantle this illegal drug trade crossing our border, the Fentanyl Czar will need expertise in drug trafficking, organized crime networks, and other national security threats. Kevin Brosseau is that person.”
Canada is taking significant action to stop the production and trafficking of illegal fentanyl, Federal officials say.
Canada is adding new and expanded detection capacity at border entries to find illegal drugs and guns and shorten cargo container processing time.
They are building a Canadian Drug Analysis Centre to analyze illegal drug samples and identify where and how these drugs are manufactured.
They are deploying new chemical detection tools at high-risk ports of entry, new canine teams to intercept illegal drugs, and a new Precursor Chemical Risk Management Unit to better track precursor chemicals and distribution channels.
In the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, Canada introduced strong measures such as steeper penalties and regulatory changes to fight financial crimes, including money laundering, that often enable fentanyl trafficking, Federal officials added.
While less than 1 per cent of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada, any amount of fentanyl is too much.
With Canada’s $1.3-billion border plan, Federal officials say they are reinforcing our strong border and stopping the fentanyl trade – with new Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers, and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel working on protecting the border.
As an important legal tool to enforce criminal investigations in Canada, Canada will also 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 the country, Federal officials added.
Last week, the Prime Minister signed a new intelligence directive, backed by $200-million in investment, that will give Canada’s security agencies more capacity to gather intelligence on transnational organized crime and share with American partners and law enforcement across the continent.
This complements joint law enforcement co-ordination efforts, including through the Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl, and money laundering.
