Justin Trudeau – EDITORIAL: Biden can help free Canada’s two Michaels
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This while Meng lives in one of her luxury mansions in Vancouver, surrounded by family and friends, able to travel around the city and pursue her hobbies such as oil painting while out on bail.
Trudeau has admirably resisted pressure for Canada to swap Meng for the two Michaels — most disgracefully by aging Liberal warhorses well past their best before dates, with financial interests in China.
Agreeing to such a swap would leave Canada vulnerable to similar tactics whenever China’s dictators object to any Canadian policy.
Realistically, Trudeau can’t end the standoff between the U.S. and China over Meng, in which the two Michaels are collateral damage.
But Biden can, an issue we’re told Trudeau and the new U.S. president discussed in a phone conversation on Friday. The Wall Street Journal has reported the U.S. justice department is negotiating a possible plea deal where Meng would admit wrongdoing and be allowed to return to China.
Meanwhile, China is pushing for a meeting between senior Chinese and American diplomats to ratchet down tensions between the two countries.
If Biden is sincere about considering Canada an ally and friend, he can demonstrate it by resolving the Meng case and working to free Canada’s two Michaels.