FOREIGN Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne, commenting on Wednesday’s B.C. Supreme Court ruling that extradition proceedings against the Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou should proceed, said: “The Canadian judiciary operates independently, and today’s decision on double criminality in Meng Wanzhou’s extradition process was an independent decision of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.”

However, he pointed out: “This decision is but one component in a multi-step legal process. The Government of Canada will continue to be transparent about the extradition process for Ms. Meng.”

Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes said the offence Meng is accused of by U.S. prosecutors would also be considered a crime if it happened in Canada.

Meng was arrested at Vancouver international Airport in December 2018 on an extradition warrant. She is alleged to have lied to an HSBC executive in Hong Kong about Huawei’s control of a company that was said to be violating U.S. economic sanctions against Iran.

Champagne said: “We will continue to pursue principled engagement with China to address our bilateral differences and to cooperate in areas of mutual interest.

“The Government of Canada’s top priority is and remains securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been arbitrarily detained for over 500 days. We will continue to advocate for their immediate release and seek clemency for Canadians facing the death penalty in China, including Robert Schellenberg.”