The Canadian government should be forced to open a negotiation with China to swap Huawei Technologies Co. chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou for the two Michaels, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. Former US president Donald Trump made it clear at the beginning of the process that he could trade Meng for economic gain and recently the US tried to make a deal with China. This means the case is not about “rule of law” or an “ independent judiciary ”. Trump has gone and the trade sanctions against Iran (to which all charges against Meng are linked) are in breach of the United Nations Security Council endorsement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The United Nations Security Council codified the “nuclear deal” as Resolution 2231 on July 20, 2015 and it is binding on all UN members – including the US and Canada. Rather than the hands-off rule of law arguments of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we need government action now. Vancouver-based extradition expert Gary Botting has explained how the extradition process is used by the US to trap those charged into pleading guilty, in return for their release. The problem is the guilty plea results in a criminal record that can be used against them (or their companies) at any time and by any country. If Canada deals directly with China to swap the two Michaels for Meng, she will still have to try and get the US to drop the indictment, but she will not have to plead guilty to be released. Most importantly, the two Michaels will be back home, as will Meng. US President Joe Biden said he would re-join the JCPOA if elected, so we should act now to bring the two Michaels home as soon as possible before Biden is pushed into elaborate conditions and lengthy negotiations to achieve his promise. Canada can offer to trade Meng for the two Michaels – it would be a reassertion of Canadian independence as a country, demonstrate support for the UN, and undermine any “legal” or monetary schemes the US uses in these cases. I expect China would agree, as it also doesn’t want Meng to have to plead guilty and see the US prosper from what it has always regarded as an illegitimate arrest. This issue needs to be distinguished from other aspects of Canada’s relationship with China. It is not an endorsement of Huawei, any aspect of 5G policy , or the government and policies of the People’s Republic of China individually or collectively, to note that the issue of Meng’s extradition and the apparent Chinese retaliation in terms of the arrest of the two Michaels exists because Canada failed to follow international law and its own independence from American foreign policy in creating this particular conflict with China. Dr Bruce Spencer, Vancouver