My Take | Donald Trump should have the Meng Wanzhou Huawei case dropped
- Going after the Huawei No 2 is a sideshow for Americans, but a dangerous crisis for Canadians and the US president should now move to help out one of his nation's closest friends
Now that US President Donald Trump has pardoned friends and friends of friends for criminal convictions, he should seriously do something for America’s closest friends – Canadians.
It’s clear he considers his presidential powers extend to covering jury deliberations, judges’ decisions, and prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations. Well, how about helping Ottawa resolve its worst diplomatic crisis with China in decades, provoked by Canada’s arrest of Huawei’s No. 2 Meng Wanzhou at the request of US prosecutors?
Meng is now fighting extradition for alleged bank fraud related to US sanctions against Iran. Quite simply, as he has hinted before, Trump should instruct the United States Justice Department to drop all charges against Meng.
Though China has lifted most restrictions on Canadian imports of pork, beef and canola, they have already cost Canadian farmers dearly in terms of financial and job losses. Two Canadians are still languishing in jail in the mainland, their detentions most likely retaliation for Meng’s prosecution.