Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government will create a team of specially-trained Alberta Sheriffs tasked with patrolling the Alberta-U.S. border.
Called the Interdiction Patrol Team, or IPT, the unit will include officers, K-9 teams and drones in order to prevent all “illegal cross-border activity.”
The move is in response to president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods if Canada does not take action on illegal immigration and drug trafficking at its border.
The same ultimatum was given to Mexico.
The Alberta government is spending $29 million to establish the IPT, which will be made up of 51 members.
(With files from the Canadian Press)