The affair had poisoned relations between China and Canada: two Canadian nationals had been detained in a Chinese prison between 2018 and 2021. One of them, Michael Spavor, reached an agreement with the Ottawa government.
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Accused by Beijing of spying on behalf of Canada, consultant Michael Spavor has been threatening to sue the federal government since this fall. He will get “ support to start a new chapter in life » ; this is what the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs declared on Wednesday, without mentioning money.
However, the person who spent 1,019 days in a Chinese cell should receive $7 million from Ottawa, according to Radio Canada. Why isn’t the Canadian government talking about it? In any case, the agreement allows him to put an end to an embarrassing situation.
Reminder of the facts: in December 2018, Michael Spavor was arrested by the Chinese police with his compatriot, the former diplomat and analyst Michael Kovrig. The “two Michaels”, according to the words of the Canadian press, are accused of espionage. This is retaliation on the part of Beijing after the arrest in Vancouver of Huawei’s number 3, Meng Wanzhou.
His release in 2021 allowed that of the “two Michaels”. But last November, Michael Spavor made a shocking statement: the Chinese would have imprisoned him for having unwittingly shared sensitive information with the other Michael. And he accuses Ottawa and Kovrig of having used it, which would confirm Beijing’s suspicions of espionage. Allegations that Canada has always denied. Here’s hoping this $7 million deal puts an end to this.
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