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The tariffs, planned to have begun Tuesday, would have included 25 per cent on Canadian goods and 10 per cent on Canadian energy entering the U.S. — the effects of which left politicians and business leaders scrambling to avoid the devastating blow to the Canadian economy.

The White House said Trump decided to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China in an effort to halt illegal immigration and to stop fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into the U.S.

“Canada is making new commitments to appoint a fentanyl czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24-7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering,” said Trudeau in a post on X late Monday afternoon. “I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million.”

The announcement was made after Trump agreed to pause tariffs for at least 30 days. 

On Tuesday, Trudeau said, in , Canada will deploy thousands more front line personnel to the border, launch a precursor chemical detection unit, and build a new drug profiling centre to combat the fentanyl trade as part of Canada’s Border Plan.

“This drug trade is a global, deadly issue — and Canada is tackling it head-on,” he said.

Canada is implementing a $1.3-billion border plan in an effort to appease Trump amid a looming trade war.

Trudeau said Canada has committed to reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced co-ordination with the U.S., and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. 

“Nearly 10,000 front-line personnel are and will be working on protecting the border,” he said. 

Of Canada’s commitments, Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30-day period to see whether or not a final economic deal with Canada can be structured.”

So, what will the fentanyl czar do?

While an official job description hasn’t been released, it’s suspected the Canadian fentanyl czar may have a role similar to the U.S. “border czar,” a position currently held by Tom Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who was appointed last November.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Homan would take charge of the U.S. national borders, which would include the U.S.‘s southern and northern borders as well as all maritime, aviation security and deportations. 

By definition, czars are appointed by government to advise on and co-ordinate policy in a particular area. Trump appears to have a particular fondness for “czars.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a post on X early Monday evening, applauded the move to appoint a fentanyl czar.

“The appointment of a Canadian fentanyl czar with authority to co-ordinate a massive joint effort with the United States to target fentanyl traffickers is something Alberta has been calling for since it became clear in our discussions with U.S. elected representatives and administration officials that this would be a critical part of reaching a deal to avoid tariffs,” she said.

The White House said the U.S. administration is concerned about what they say is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada — citing a recent study that recognized Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution. 

Canada makes up around 0.2 per cent of U.S. border fentanyl seizures, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol data.

Prior to 2020, North America was primarily a consumer and destination continent for illicit-market opioids, specifically fentanyl, according to a recent report by the .

“Fentanyl was imported directly and largely from China by consumers and dealers, typically using darknet marketplaces,” the report reads.

In more recent years, the report says trafficking networks have increased the production of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids as well as their distribution both domestically and internationally from North America, including Canada, the United States and Mexico.

This publication has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office to find out more about what the fentanyl czar’s official role will be and when the czar will be appointed. We have not yet received a response.