Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of trafficking 40 mg or more of fentanyl.
The press conference was held at the Port of Vancouver on Wednesday—a known nexus hub of incoming fentanyl and fentanyl precursor chemicals.
In July 2021, 1.5 tonnes of illicit fentanyl ingredients were seized at the largest port in Canada.
Speculation has persisted for years that the amount of fentanyl precursor chemicals coming through the port undetected is much higher than what is being confiscated or reported.
The Vancouver port is not policed. It is the jurisdiction of the Canada Border Services Agency , which also manages close to 1,200 other points of entry.
Months earlier, the Mayor of Delta George Harvie drew a direct line between the lack of port police and the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
“So here we are talking about a fentanyl crisis,” Harvie bemused, “yet the federal government is ignoring the fact that it’s an open season for the cartels and others to take advantage of lack of policing at the port.”
In speaking of the same fentanyl crisis, Poilievre said; “I will lock up fentanyl kingpins and throw away the key. It’s like spraying bullets into a crowd — even if you don’t aim, you will kill people. The penalty should be the same as murder. I will pass mandatory life sentences so fentanyl kingpins never get out of jail and stop killing our kids.”
The presser comes off the heels of President Trump threatening 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
When True North asked Poilievre whether his calls for an earlier election would be responsible given the looming tariff threats, the Conservative leader stood by his remarks.
“It is the only responsible decision or course of action,” Poilievre shot back. “We have a Liberal government that has lost control of everything: the Trudeau-Carney government has lost control spending, having doubled the debt.”
“They’ve lost control of crime, we’ve seen gun crime increase by 116%; they’ve lost control of the borders, with thousands of illegal migrants and drugs and guns pouring in and threatening our people”
Incidentally, a group of port workers showed up spontaneously to the press conference in support of the Conservative leader.
