The Legault government softened its language Thursday about Ottawa’s handling of the 25-per-cent tariff threat south of the border, welcoming news that the federal government has and is planning a further tightening of border controls.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a 69 per cent drop in recent months in the number of encounters with migrants at the Canadian border in what it calls the Swanton Sector, which covers Vermont and portions of New York’s border with Quebec and Ontario.

A government official says Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose s