By Canadian Press

Trudeau: U.S. standing down plan to send soldiers to backstop northern border

Apr 1, 2020 | 10:19 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the United States appears to have backed off on its plan to send soldiers to the Canada-U.S. border.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had been floating the idea to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials keep migrants from crossing the border between official entry points.

The prospect of U.S. soldiers along the world’s longest unmilitarized border prompted strong opposition from the Prime Minister’s Office and diplomatically pointed language from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Freeland had said such a move would be damaging to Canada’s relationship with the United States.

But Trudeau’s language suggests the idea may not be completely off the table.

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He says that while Canada has “heard” that the U.S. is standing down, officials will continue to engage in discussions as new circumstances develop.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2020.

The Canadian Press