Prime Ministerial Directive on Transnational Crime and Border Security

The international and domestic illegal drug trade and drug trafficking pose a significant threat to the livelihoods and safety of Canadians. They not only have tragic impacts on those who use illicit substances, but also on their families and our communities. In addition, organized crime groups represent significant public safety and societal threats, and through their involvement in the illicit drug market, these groups have become major enablers in the accelerating fentanyl crisis. Addressing this crisis has and will continue to require the strong collaboration of municipal, provincial, and federal public health and law enforcement institutions. However, it also requires support and a coordinated focus from our national security and intelligence community.

Canada’s Border Plan thus increased support to law enforcement agencies in detecting, intercepting, and addressing fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, and in targeting the transnational criminal networks upon which international drug trafficking depends. It also included resources for increased efforts on the Government of Canada Intelligence Priority for “Transnational Organized Crime, Cyber Crime, and Border Security” to focus efforts and ensure a coherent, whole-of-government approach to address these threats.

Canada’s Intelligence Priorities are the foundation upon which the national security and intelligence community operates and represents what are the most vital factors to ensuring Canadian safety, security, and prosperity. Intelligence Priorities align intelligence production efforts with whole-of-Government strategic interests. Specifically, the Intelligence Priority for “Transnational Organized Crime, Cyber Crime, and Border Security” relates to the activities, capabilities, and intentions of serious organized crime, including transnational organized crime, cyber-crime, and the unlawful or illicit movement of goods across the border.

Today, I am issuing further guidance to detail how the national security, law enforcement, and intelligence community will use the new resources in the Border Plan in alignment to advance this Intelligence Priority with two core objectives: increasing intelligence production and sharing and enhancing cooperation, to disrupt drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations; and protect Canadian communities from the lethal threat of fentanyl and other illicit drugs.

The Border Plan includes dedicated resources for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to enhance foreign intelligence coverage of transnational organized crime and illegal drug supply chains. I expect the Minister of National Defence to ensure this funding is used by CSE to bolster, and then maintain, the capacity to provide actionable intelligence to federal partners on foreign transnational criminal actors involved in trafficking of fentanyl, other illicit drugs, and their precursors to North America. I also direct that this funding be used to bolster the cyber operations aspect of its mandate to disrupt these illicit supply chains.

In line with the Border Plan, I ask the Ministers of Public Safety and Defence and other relevant Ministers to ensure the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Public Safety Canada and CSE work together with others such as the Canada Border Services Agency, Global Affairs Canada, Health Canada, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to establish a joint operational intelligence cell working on transnational organized crime, money laundering, border security, and drug-trafficking, to facilitate expedient and effective flow of intelligence for use by law enforcement operations in Canada and abroad. I expect this to be done with a particular focus on the trafficking of illicit drugs, especially fentanyl, and the importation of precursor chemicals to North America.

Further, while each organization has its own distinct mandate, accountability and functions, Canada’s response requires close collaboration and synergy between every national security, intelligence, and law enforcement agency. Each organization should work deliberately to break down silos and establish tailored mechanisms to ensure cooperation between those who produce intelligence and those who use it to take action. This should include ensuring mechanisms are in place to effectively share information and work collaboratively with provinces, territories, and police of jurisdiction. To that end, the Border Plan also includes dedicated resources for Public Safety Canada to stand up and operate an information sharing hub between federal, provincial and territorial partners, and international partners as required on transnational organized crime, money laundering, drug trafficking and border security. This will allow for coordination between federal agencies, provinces, territories, police of jurisdiction, and will support a key interface with the financial sector and other domestic and international private and public sector partners.

In all their efforts, I encourage the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, National Defence, and Public Safety ensure the national security, law enforcement, and intelligence community, particularly CSE and the RCMP, find opportunities for increased collaboration, sharing, and joint operations with allies, especially the United States. The United States is, and will continue to be, the most essential partner in our efforts to reduce and disrupt transnational criminal activity and drug trafficking in North America. Transnational crime and fentanyl are shared threats – and we must work together and towards common objectives to secure our borders and communities. I trust that, in all their work, national security, law enforcement, and intelligence organizations will ensure that intelligence is shared and actioned in accordance with applicable laws and policies to assure the protection and integrity of sensitive intelligence sources and national security information.

Given the leadership role of the National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA) in coordinating key national security issues across the Government of Canada, including the Intelligence Priorities and Requirements process, I expect her to lead and coordinate the implementation of this Directive. I also expect she will prioritize this crucial strategic effort and ensure intelligence needs related to transnational crime and fentanyl and other drug trafficking are adequately prioritized within the Canadian security and intelligence community. As my principal advisor on national security and intelligence, the NSIA will continue evaluating existing approaches to determine what is working, what needs adjusting, and providing options to improve the overall functioning of the system should issues arise.

Furthermore, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, National Defence, and Public Safety, will ensure their respective Ministerial Directives on the Implementation of the Intelligence Priorities reflect this Direction as part of the implementation of the forthcoming renewal of the Intelligence Priorities in 2025.

Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada