Trump told Trudeau during the call that Canada's efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking were 'not good enough'. Photos: AP/PTI
Trump and Trudeau discuss fentanyl smuggling and trade in 50-min call
The US President told the Canadian PM that Canada’s 'weak border policies' have allowed fentanyl and 'illegal aliens' to pour into the US and have caused the deaths of many people
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Donald Trump had a 50-minute call on Wednesday (March 5) in which they discussed several matters, including the growing issue of fentanyl trafficking between the two countries, according to a Reuters report.
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Trump wrote on the social media platform he owns, Truth Social, about the call. He said that Trudeau called him to ask what could be done about the tariffs.
In response, Trump told him, “Many people have died from Fentanyl that came through the Borders of Canada and Mexico, and nothing has convinced me that it has stopped.”
Trudeau responded by saying that the issue is getting better, but Trump said that it was “not good enough".
Fentanyl trafficking
The issue of fentanyl trafficking has been a point of contention between the US and Canada. Trudeau claims that less than 1 per cent of fentanyl and undocumented migrants enter the US through Canada’s borders. However, Trump dismissed these claims and reiterated on Truth Social that Trudeau and Canada’s efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking are “not good enough”.
Trump also mentioned on Truth Social that he told Trudeau that Canada’s "weak border policies" have allowed fentanyl and "illegal aliens" to pour into the US and have caused the deaths of many people.
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Earlier this year, a Canada PMO statement read that all of Canada’s First Ministers have agreed to “take meaningful action to further liberalise and support the Canadian market so that goods, services, and workers can move freely,” in an effort to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers.
Canadian elections
Trump also revealed that he attempted to ask Trudeau about the dates of the Canada elections but was not given a clear answer. Trump’s post on Truth Social accused the Canadian PM of wanting to stay in power.
“He (Trudeau) was unable to tell me when the Canadian Election is taking place, which made me curious, like, what's going on here? I then realised he is trying to use this issue to stay in power," Trump wrote in his post.
Trudeau has been Canada’s PM since 2015 and decided to step down in early January. He said he would resign once a new leader of the Liberal Party was chosen.
