Smith says Ottawa should appoint ‘border czar’ to work collaboratively with U.S.

CALGARY — As the threat of 25 per cent tariffs looms over Canada, Alberta’s premier says Ottawa should appoint a “border czar” to work collaboratively with the United States.

Danielle Smith told reporters Wednesday that a Canadian border czar would work with American counterpart Tom Homan to crack down on fentanyl and illegal crossings — something U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said is a major issue.

Smith said having a border czar, on top of a $1.3-billion border security plan pledged by Ottawa, would further help Canada’s chances to avoid the tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose on Saturday.

“The one thing that we can do this week, in just the next couple of days, to have the best chance to avoid tariffs is to show clear and unequivocal action to secure the border,” Smith said.

She said a retired military general would be the right fit for the role.

“We need someone who understands military operations, who understands deployment, who understands the seriousness with which we have to take this issue.”

Smith said she would endorse Alberta’s interim top bureaucrat, Paul Wynnyk, for the position.

Wynnyk is a longtime bureaucrat who has served as Alberta’s deputy minister of health and municipal affairs since his 38-year career in the Armed Forces.

Smith said creating a border czar position likely wouldn’t appease Trump, but it wouldn’t hurt Canada’s chances either.

“I think there’ll be other things that we will need to work on, and we will do so.

“But I am convinced, after speaking with dozens of elected representatives, administrative administration officials and the president himself that this is the most important first step.”

Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce, billionaire financier Howard Lutnick, told the U.S. Senate during his Wednesday confirmation hearing that he sees the tariffs as a way to get Canada to take action on border security.

“If we are your biggest trading partner, show us the respect. Shut your border and end fentanyl coming into this country,” Lutnick said.

He said he believes Canada and Mexico are “acting swiftly” on border security “and if they execute it there will be no tariff, and if they don’t then there will be.”

Smith said Lutnick’s comments suggest Canada should continue to make sure Americans understand that Canada takes those concerns seriously.

“If (Trump’s) senior trade person says, ‘Be serious about the border,’ let’s be serious about the border,” Smith said.

“And then let’s see if that manages to avoid tariffs.”

Smith said her government invited American network Fox News to the Coutts, Alta., border crossing to help demonstrate Alberta’s efforts to beef up security.

She said she’s also pleased the federal government is using Black Hawk helicopters for the RCMP to patrol the border. Patrols recently started in Manitoba and began Wednesday in Alberta.

Trump has also, at times, pointed to his country’s trade deficit with Canada as a major irritant.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2025.

— By Jack Farrell in Edmonton, with files Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington

The Canadian Press