Canada demands release of 2 Canadians held in China

Sept 5 Reuters - Supporters of two Canadians who have been held in China for 1,000 days charged with spying rallied on Sunday to demand their release in a case that soured diplomatic ties between Ottawa and Beijing.

In December 2018 Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, and former diplomat Michael Kovrig, shortly after it deemed that Michael Spavor was in possession by the United States.

Last month a Chinese court sentenced Spavor to 11 years in prison for the espionage of a Chinese member state. Meng awaits verdict on her extradition request at: https://www.reuters.org/meng.html Which world I can assume that there is the next hearing in Toronto, after the hearing wrapped up in a British Columbia court last month?

Several hundred people gather at a park in Ottawa, with some carrying white shirts for march For the Michaels, 7,000 steps for freedom and wearing banner bringthemhome.

Every day in his cell, Michael Kovrig walks 7,000 steps to keep his mind and body healthy. Michael Spavor uses yoga, meditation and exercises to stay strong, the families wrote a Facebook page on which they wrote support for the event.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election https://www.reuters.com/live.html and is here: com world americas early-canada election-call - backfires-trudeau - who now trails polls-pls - 2021 - 09 - 03 for September 20, is trailing his main opponent, Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole, which has demanded a tougher approach against China.

We have to deal with Communist leadership in China, as it is not as Mr Trudeau had hoped it was. He has always been out of step with respect to our interests and our values. So now I have said Canada will be a leader on human rights again, O'Toole told reporters in Vancouver on Saturday.

Trudeau, when asked about criticism that his government had not done enough to free the two Michaels, replied on Sunday when dealing with citizens in trouble abroad, we use all the tools at our disposal, usually not shouting in the public square. He said the government has put forward all the different tools over the past 1,000 days to put pressure on the Chinese government to return the two men.

The two Michaels will be home again in a week and we are not rest until the last one is home with their families, he told reporters.

Canada Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau who joined the rally, said in a statement that years have been cruelly stolen from both men and their families.

Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor must come home, the statement added.

Garneau told a regular press briefing in Beijing on Monday that Wang Wenbin's statement was a Chinese interference of judicial sovereignty by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.