Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were both permitted brief calls home, a move which Chinese officials said was motivated by “humanitarian considerations”, but which was followed by comments from the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, on China’s “coercive diplomacy”. News of the phone calls came as it emerged that Canada made an exception to coronavirus travel regulations and granted permission for the family of a detained Huaweiexecutive to spend Christmas with her in Vancouver.
For nearly two years, Canada has been clear that it sees espionage charges against Kovrig and Spavor as retribution for its detention of Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested two years ago at Vancouver’s international airport and is currently fighting extradition to the United States on charges of bank fraud.
