Former senior Mountie Kevin Brosseau named Canada’s fentanyl czar

Kevin Brosseau will serve as Canada’s first ever fentanyl czar.

The prime minister’s office (PMO) announced today that the former senior Mountie’s appointment is effective immediately.

He’ll take on the role created last week as part of Canada’s efforts to appease US President Donald Trump’s concerns about the northern border and halt a developing trade war.

"The scourge of fentanyl must be wiped from the face of the Earth, its production must be shut down and its profiteers must be punished," said a statement from the PMO’s office.

It added that fentanyl is a lethal drug that has “torn apart communities and families” across both Canada and the US.

Brosseau served in the RCMP for more than two decades, including high-ranking posts like deputy commissioner and commanding officer in Manitoba from 2012-16.

Most recently, the University of Alberta and Harvard Law School graduate served as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to Prime Minister Trudeau.

The PMO statement says he “navigated Canada’s most sensitive security challenges.”

“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 US,” Trudeau explained.

“With an over 20-year career in public safety and national security including tackling drug trafficking and organized crime, Mr. Brosseau will bring tremendous value to this position, and his work will help keep Canadians safe.”

Along with the appointment of a fentanyl czar, Trudeau’s agreement with Trump last week included the signing of a new intelligence directive backed by a $200-million investment.

It will give Canada’s security agencies more capacity to gather intelligence on transnational organized crime and share it with partners in the US and law enforcement across the continent.