End Washington’s spurious extradition ‘lawfare’ now

It’s high time to return ‘the two Michaels’ and Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou to their respective homes
Alex Lo Published: 25 Jun, 2020

Canada and the United States may look similar but they are two very different countries.

The US is fundamentally a national security state for which the laws are made or remade to suit national security priorities. This is perhaps inevitable, as it has, after all, to maintain a global empire secured by the world’s most powerful military.


Canada, on the other hand, is probably as close as any country that has been able to run genuinely by the rule of law.

There is perhaps nothing as stark as the clash between American “lawfare” and the Canadian rule of law as in the tragic affair of “the two Michaels” and Huawei’s No 2, Meng Wanzhou.

It’s now clear as day the American case against Meng is part of Washington’s ruthless campaign to destroy the Chinese telecoms giant and its global 5G ambitions. Nor is there any doubt that the Chinese arrest of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – who have been charged with espionage – is directly linked to Meng’s detention in Vancouver.

Both China and the US have acted disgracefully and immorally. Likely to be apprehensive that many allies with which the US has an extradition treaty would challenge their arrest request for Meng, US authorities spent months, according to court testimonies, “shopping” for a reliable country that would do the deed without question.


China accuses detained Canadians of spying, following Huawei CFO extradition approval

Once all hell had proverbially broken loose, with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Canadian pork, beef, canola, soy and peas rejected or banned by China and with the two Canadians in detention, Washington didn’t lift a finger to help a loyal ally.

Yet, Ottawa continues to insist the Meng case must be brought to an end in court before its justice minister can make a decision on the extradition. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the rule of law must be upheld.

Canadian Michael Kovrig’s wife calls for intervention in Meng Wanzhou case
24 Jun 2020


Now, though, a former justice minister and a former Supreme Court judge have come out to confirm that by law, the minister of justice has full power to halt an extradition proceeding. Factors to be considered include national interests. Kovrig’s father and his separated wife now demand the minister to act

If ever there is a legal case to be decided on the basis of the Canadian national interest, it’s this one. Americans will complain, but no one else will think the rule of law has been breached. It’s time to put an end to this sorry saga.


Alex Lo has been a Post columnist since 2012, covering major issues affecting Hong Kong and the rest of China. A journalist for 25 years, he has worked for various publications in Hong Kong and Toronto as a news reporter and editor. He has also lectured in journalism at the University of Hong Kong.