On December 27, 2024, two Canadian Cabinet ministers, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, visited Palm Beach, Florida, to address concerns about potential 25% tariffs on Canadian products with the incoming Donald Trump administration.

Despite the serious discussions, the meeting did not lead to any significant changes regarding the tariff situation, although Canadian representatives expressed their position to Trump's team.

Trump has publicly ridiculed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media, referring to him as the 'Governor of the 51st state,' prompting Trudeau to indirectly respond by highlighting the strong ties between the U.S. and Canada.

Tom Homan, a former acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, criticized the northern border as a 'huge national security issue' and called for Canada to tighten its immigration laws.

The meeting focused on critical issues such as border security and trade, amid Trump's warnings about immigration and fentanyl trafficking from Canada.

LeBlanc and Joly emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis, which is responsible for approximately 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the U.S.

In response to the tariff threat, the Trudeau government has announced a $1.3 billion investment aimed at enhancing border security and disrupting fentanyl trafficking.

The Canadian government has proposed a joint 'strike force' with the U.S. to improve intelligence sharing and tackle the fentanyl crisis more effectively.

This investment includes measures for 24/7 surveillance of the Canada-U.S. border, deploying helicopters, drones, and mobile surveillance towers by Canadian federal police.

While Joly has developed a rapport with Senator Lindsey Graham, who is advocating for a border-security bill, the Canadian ministers left the meeting without any guarantees from Trump's team.

As the U.S. remains Canada's largest trading partner, with 75% of Canadian exports going to the U.S., the outcome of these discussions holds significant implications for nearly 2 million Canadian jobs.

The Trump transition team has not provided details on the meeting's outcomes, leaving uncertainty about future discussions and the direction of U.S.-Canada relations.