By Canadian Press

U.S. election makes ‘moot’ argument to release Meng: attorney general

Feb 18, 2021 | 4:15 PM

VANCOUVER — Canada’s attorney general says the failure of former U.S. president Donald Trump to win re-election nullifies an argument to release Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on the basis that he was using her. 

In a written argument, the attorney general says public statements were made by a president who is now no longer in office about a possible intervention in the case that never occurred, purportedly to achieve a Chinese trade deal that has long since been successfully negotiated. 

The B.C. Supreme Court will hear arguments from Meng’s lawyers in March alleging an abuse of process over Trump’s public comments about the case, which they say show that she was being used as a political bargaining chip.

The document says those facts now have no past, present or prospective impact on the proceedings.

Meng is facing extradition to the United States on fraud charges that both she and Huawei deny. 

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Even if the argument isn’t moot, the attorney general’s document says the application should fail because the statements by the former president do not amount to misconduct. 

“The changes in circumstances since the comments were made and this application was filed have served to remove the factual underpinning for the applicant’s arguments,” the document says. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2021.

The Canadian Press