Canada Weighs Deploying RCMP Cadets to Bolster U.S. Border Security
The RCMP considers contingency measures, including cadet deployment, as Canada responds to U.S. tariff threats over border concerns.
Overview
- RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme announced plans to potentially deploy RCMP cadets to the Canada-U.S. border to address resource shortages if required.
- The move comes as Canada seeks to address President-elect Donald Trump's concerns over illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking into the U.S.
- Canada has committed to purchasing additional drones, helicopters, and personnel to strengthen border security and avoid a threatened 25% tariff on imports.
- The RCMP is facing a staffing crunch in its federal policing division, which oversees border integrity, due to resource reassignments over the past decade.
- The Customs and Immigration Union has called for an expanded Canada Border Services Agency mandate to patrol areas between official border entry points.