Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. The most famous Michaels in contemporary Canadian news have landed on home soil after being arbitrarily detained in China for 1020 days. The “Two Michaels” (as media outlets have coined them) were detained by Chinese officials on 10 December 2018 following the detainment of Huawei’s board deputy chair, Meng Wanzhou, upon her arrival at the Vancouver International Airport. According to a 2020 Globe and Mail article, “Mr. Kovrig was charged with spying on national secrets and intelligence for entities outside the territory of China. Mr. Spavor was charged with spying on national secrets and illegally providing state secrets to entities outside the territory of China”. Subsequent to her detainment by Canada Border Services Agency, the RCMP arrested Ms. Wanzhou on a provisional US extradition request for fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud to circumvent US sanctions against Iran. In late January of 2019, the United States Department of Justice announced financial fraud charges against Ms. Wanzhou. The juxtaposition between the Michaels and Ms. Wanxhou’s situation invites “detainment” to be used in the loosest sense of the matter. Ms. Wanzhou remained under house arrest in one of her many Vancouver mansions while the Michaels were isolated in Chinese jail cells with limited access to the outside world and their families.
Chinese officials have maintained denial of any link between the arrests of the Two Michaels and Ms. Wanzhou, however, the multiple coincidences in the timelines of detainment, arrest and release dictate otherwise. The Michaels were released hours after Ms. Wanzhou secured a deal with US prosecutors to drop all charges against her. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated, “the case of Meng Wanzhou is completely different from that of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in nature.” Canadian and American officials have been quiet on the details each country’s leader played in the return of the Michaels, but some former Canadian government officials are speculating President Biden’s persuasive role in the release.
No matter what role each country played in the return, and whether or not the Michaels were political bargaining chips, Canadian-Chinese relations are uncertain…for the moment. Online reporter, Rachel Gilmore, explained the “tit for tat” trade retaliation following “plunging into the deep-freeze” with the Chinese government since the end of 2018. Canada has demonstrated upholding the rule of law and not engaging in hostage diplomacy, yet as Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne expressed, “There’s a reason China targeted Canada, rather than the US, for retaliation for Ms. Meng’s arrest: because they knew, or suspected, it would work better against us.” The passivity and lackluster Canadian approach to China’s actions calls to question the diplomatic strength Canada has in protecting their citizens abroad. China is a technological, business, and trading powerhouse on the international market, however, their absent deference to the rule of law and diplomacy is not going unnoticed by Canadians. Pressure on the Liberal government to engage a tougher foreign policy with Chinese relations comes out from this three-year dilemma. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, claims that the country will cooperate in areas like climate change but is prepared to stand up to China. Garneau expressed in an interview to CBC host Rosemary Barton that the government is following a four-fold approach to China: “coexist,” “compete,” “co-operate,” and “challenge.” It is difficult to comprehend how Canada will cooperate with China since they have clearly displayed concerning political tactics with the Michaels.
Other countries have tightened their Chinese relations. For example, Australia shares a similar situation with Canada. As of 2015, there are at least seventy Australians either serving sentences or awaiting trial in Chinese jails. Australia has reacted by banning Huawei from its 5G wireless network, “passing legislation to restrict foreign influence operations, and routinely and forthrightly denouncing China for its human-rights abuses at home and offences against international law abroad,” noted Coyne. Presently, Canada has no leverage against China and there are still approximately 115 Canadians detained (some for over a decade) in China including four sentenced to death according to Global Affairs Canada. Canada’s four-pronged plan might want to consider taking a page out of Australia’s books on tighter economic restrictions.
Prime Minister Trudeau has every right to celebrate the return of the Two Michaels, however he shouldn’t pop the champagne just yet. His fight for Canadians is far from over if he wants to push Canada further on the international playing field as a strong, political ally. The next steps need to be proactive if he wants to prevent more Canadians from arbitrary detainment in the foreign country. As Canadians, we can use the return of the Michaels as hope that eventually many more Canadians will be released and reunited with their families.