By Canadian Press

Federal leaders campaign while Kovrig, Spavor mark 1,000 days imprisoned in China

Sep 5, 2021 | 12:01 PM

OTTAWA — Canada’s federal leaders spent part of their time on the campaign trail Sunday expressing support for two men who have now been detained in China for 1,000 days.

During a campaign stop in the Greater Toronto Area, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau opened an announcement on gun policy by acknowledging today was a difficult one for the relatives of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

He says he spoke with both men’s families to assure them the international community and Canadians stood behind them, and pledged his government wouldn’t rest until both men are freed. 

“I can assure you that this government over the past 1,000 days has put forward all the different range of tools that we have to put pressure on the Chinese government to return Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, on our allies to influence them and to have them advocate for us,” said Trudeau. 

“We’ve been significantly more successful than the previous government was because we use all the tools at our disposal, usually not shouting in the public square. We usually lean in, and put pressure on those countries in various ways to ensure that we can get Canadians home in a way that is quiet and effective.”

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Chinese officials arrested the men out of what Canada believes to be retaliation for the RCMP’s arrest of Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in December 2018 while she travelled through the Vancouver airport. 

She was arrested on an extradition request from the United States, where officials want her to be prosecuted for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

The Liberal government has faced criticism from some over its handling of Kovrig and Spavor’s ongoing detentions.

The Conservatives, in particular, have said the Liberals have been soft on their policy towards a more authoritarian China, and promised to take a tougher approach if they form government on Sept. 20 

In his election platform, leader Erin O’Toole pledges to negotiate new trade agreements with nations in the Indo-Pacific and Africa so Canada doesn’t have to rely as heavily on China, as well as work with international allies in hopes of “decoupling” their supply chains from the Chinese regime. 

The Conservatives also promise to ban Huawei from Canada’s 5G infrastructure and advise universities against partnering with Chinese “state-controlled” companies. 

New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh said Sunday he can’t imagine what these past 1,000 days have been like for Kovrig and Spavor, who are without the human rights and dignities afforded to those in Canada’s criminal justice system. 

“We’re going to renew our calls that we’ve got to do everything possible, everything we can working with our international allies to continue to apply pressure on China to secure the release of these Canadians, of our fellow Canadians,” he said during an announcement in Ottawa. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2021.

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press