By Jarrett Renshaw and Ted Hesson
(Reuters) – The new U.S. border czar is expected to meet with Canada’s top public safety official on Friday just hours before President Donald Trump has promised to level new tariffs on Canada unless it helps deal with the flow of migrants and fentanyl across the border, according to two U.S. sources familiar with the planning.
The meeting will offer Canada an opportunity to make a final pitch about its border efforts before Trump makes public his decision on whether or not to follow through on his threats to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Saturday.
The situation on Thursday was highly fluid, with Trump reiterating his intent for tariffs on both countries but floating a potential exemption for oil, saying he would likely decide on that on Thursday night.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, is expected to meet with Canadian Minister of Public Safety David McGuinty and others on Friday to hold preliminary discussions on border issues, the sources said.
The White House and Canadian embassy did not respond to requests for comment.
It is the latest in a string of meetings in Washington as Canada officials seek to avoid economically punishing tariffs that could trigger a trade war that hurts both economies and frays an important relationship.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday and has been meeting with lawmakers during the week to help solicit their support in pushing back against the tariffs.
Canada announced a C$1.3 billion ($896.92 million) border security plan in response to Trump’s tariff threat. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said less than 1% of irregular migrants and less than 1% of fentanyl entering the United States come from Canada.
($1 = 1.4494 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia and Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)