Alberta adds Black Hawk helicopter to border security as it seeks to ward off tariffs

The U.S. administration hints Feb. 1 could be only the beginning of trade taxes for Canada without swift border action.

An RCMP Black Hawk helicopter is now patrolling the Alberta border with the U.S.

RCMP released footage of the chopper in flight on Tuesday.

It’s a bid to strengthen security and respond to America’s growing pressure to stop illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.

The helicopter will have police officers on board who can quickly respond to any location near the border – thanks to the range and speed of the military-style chopper.

Residents along the border may hear and see the helicopter on a regular basis, and there is no cause for any public safety concern.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith thanked the federal government at a Wednesday press conference for providing the helicopter to help patrol Alberta’s 298-kilometre border with the U.S.

With the threat of a Feb. 1 tariff imposition looming, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the commerce department said Wednesday that Canada could avoid tariffs in the short term if the government addresses border concerns.

Howard Lutnick said Canada could avoid the first phase of a planned two-stage tariff if it addresses illegal migration and fentanyl at the border.

“It is not a tariff, per se. It is an action of domestic policy. Shut your border and stop allowing fentanyl into our country, killing our people,” Lutnick said at his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate.

“So this is a separate tariff to create action from Mexico and action from Canada. And as far as I know, they are acting swiftly, and if they execute it, there will be no tariff.”

Wednesday afternoon, Smith called on the federal government to take steps to address border security and said Alberta was adding 51 armed officers, 10 support staff, four patrol dogs, 10 drones and four narcotics analysts to its border patrol in addition to the Black Hawk helicopter.

“I am convinced this is (a) most important first step,” she said. She added that a Fox News television crew was in Coutts Wednesday shooting a news segment that she hoped would spread the word about efforts Alberta is taking to shore up border security.

With files from CTV’s Stephanie Ha