Alberta Premier Daniel Smith calls for border czar

 

Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is calling on the federal government to create a border czar position and appoint a high-powered official to work with the United States after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canada. The Canadian border czar should work with U.S. official Tom Homan to crack down on fentanyl and illegal immigration, Smith said Wednesday.

In addition to the $1.3 billion border security plan promised by the federal government, Smith said a border czar could help avoid the tariffs Trump is set to impose on Saturday. Smith said he could consider the position of top Alberta official Paul Winnick. Winnick is a long-time bureaucrat who has served from a 38-year career in the armed forces to Alberta's deputy minister of health and municipal affairs.