Canada has appointed its new fentanyl czar.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Kevin Brosseau on Tuesday in an attempt to address U.S. President Donald Trump’s concerns surrounding border security amid tariff tensions.
“Fentanyl is a lethal drug that must be eradicated from our communities,” Trudeau said in a statement.
“Today’s appointment of Kevin Brosseau as fentanyl czar will accelerate Canada’s efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle the fentanyl trade in partnership with the United States.”
Here’s what we know about Brosseau and what his role will entail.
Fentanyl czar qualifications
Brosseau has an extensive career in law enforcement and politics. He most notably served with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for over 20 years, including as deputy commissioner and top cop in Manitoba.
According to an Edmonton Journal article from 2011, Brosseau grew up on a farm in Bonnyville, Alberta. After graduating at the top of his class at the University of Alberta Law School, he fulfilled his childhood dream of attending Harvard Law with a prestigious $15,000 Fulbright Foundation Scholarship.
In 2005, he had a three-year stint as a lawyer at the corporate international law firm Sherman and Sterling in New York City.
I just announced Canada’s new Fentanyl Czar, Kevin Brosseau. With over 20 years of RCMP experience, he’ll accelerate our efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle the fentanyl trade.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2025
He applied his law background to government positions, first as Transport Canada’s assistant deputy minister of safety and security, and then as the associate deputy minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
Brosseau has been the prime minister’s deputy national security and intelligence advisor since October 2024. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), he has demonstrated expertise in tackling drug trafficking, organized crime network and other national security threats in this position.
What does a fentanyl czar do?
The PMO office says Brosseau’s job as fentanyl czar is to work closely with U.S. counterparts and law enforcement agencies to accelerate Canada’s ongoing work to detect, disrupt and dismantle the fentanyl trade across the border.
“Between cities and provinces, as well as our international borders, this person will need to work with all levels of government, with credibility as a team player,” said Minister of Public Safety David McGuinty in a statement.
“Working closely with our American counterparts to disrupt and dismantle this illegal drug trade crossing our border, the Fentanyl Czar will need expertise in drug trafficking, organized crime networks and other national security threats. Kevin Brosseau is that person.”
Ottawa notes that less than 1 per cent of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada but acknowledges that “any amount of fentanyl is too much.”
In addition to appointing a fentanyl czar, Trudeau said the government would implement a $1.3 billion border plan. The plan will fund new Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel to protect the border and stop the fentanyl trade.
Why do we suddenly have a fentanyl czar?
These measures come after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian products imported into the U.S., with the exception of energy, which would be subject to a 10 per cent tariff.
After a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 3, the all-encompassing tariffs have been paused for at least 30 days as negotiations continue.
On Monday, the president signed orders to impose 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, which are scheduled to kick in on March 12.
Ex-U.S. Ambassador Gordon Giffin says he thinks Trump’s concerns are about immigration, border management, and the president’s “perception of drug flows” between the countries.
“I don’t think it’s fundamentally about trade, and I, as a consequence, believe that the use of tariffs is not appropriate and out of line for purposes of discussing how we manage our border,” he told CPAC’s Michael Serapio.
