Canada to boost border security amid Trump tariff threat: What to know
Al JazeeraNOV 2024
Canada Deploys Black Hawk Choppers Along US Border
Above: A sign marks the international boundary between Canada and the US in Blaine, Washington, US, on Dec. 18, 2024. Image copyright: David Ryder/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Spin
Right narrative
Canada's deployment of Black Hawk helicopters has long been needed to tackle the rise in illegal border crossings and human smuggling. The move comes as a response to mounting pressure, as border security has become a central issue in Canada's relationship with the US, with increasing encounters and threats prompting both nations to fortify their defenses against trafficking and unauthorized migration.
Left narrative
Canada's decision reflects a costly, fear-driven response to migration, and chimes of the exclusionary politics of the incoming Trump administration. Framing asylum seekers as security threats erodes Canada's humanitarian commitments while lining the pockets of private contractors in the border surveillance industry. Rather than escalating militarization, Canada should focus on strengthening its asylum system, safeguarding human rights, and resisting the dehumanization of those seeking protection.