Meng, 49, was detained in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huawei’s business dealings in Iran. China detained two Canadians shortly afterward, sentencing one this month to 11 years in prison for espionage, in a move widely seen as retaliation. Beijing has denied any connection between the arrests and Meng’s case.
Here is an explanation of what can happen next in the process.
WHAT IS THE JUDGE CONSIDERING?
Normally extradition hearings take place in a single day, but Meng’s hearings have been spread out over several years.
The first thing Holmes had to decide was whether Meng’s case met the double criminality standard, meaning whether her alleged crime would be considered illegal in Canada. Holmes decided in May 2020 that it did, and the case proceeded.
Holmes is now deciding whether the abuses of process alleged by Meng’s defense team are enough to stay the extradition. They have been separated into four “branches”:
1) Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s alleged politicization of the case against Meng, which the defense says has ensured she would not receive a fair trial in the United States;
2) Missteps that occurred during Meng’s initial arrest by Canadian and American authorities;
3) Allegations that the United States misled Canada in the evidence it provided outlining the case against Meng.
Meng’s defense team has argued those should be taken as a pattern of abuse and are enough to stay the extradition. Prosecutors representing the Canadian government have said they are either not enough to halt the extradition or are matters for the U.S. courts.
WHAT VERDICTS CAN JUDGE RENDER AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The bar for extradition is lower than it would be in a trial. As a Canadian judge, Holmes is not qualified to rule on whether the person is guilty or innocent based on another country’s laws, so she only has to decide if the evidence against Meng would allow a trial to proceed in Canada.
If Holmes rules in favor of extradition, the case moves to Canada‘s justice minister for final approval.
If she rules for a stay in the extradition, the process likely stops there. It is rare for the Canadian government to appeal a court’s ruling against extradition.
A stay in the extradition would be politically expedient for the Canadian government, which has been thrown into the middle of a fight between the United States and China because of the case. Meng’s release could also spur Beijing to release the two Canadians detained after her arrest.
IF JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF EXTRADITION, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Canada‘s justice minister makes the final decision on whether to surrender the person for extradition.
Meng can appeal both the judge’s decision and ask for a judicial review of the minister’s decision. Such an appeal could take years to work its way through the courts and potentially end up at the Supreme Court of Canada. During that time, she would likely push to have her bail conditions reassessed.
Her bail conditions mean she can leave her residence under supervision but must stay home at night.
(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Editing by Peter Cooney)
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
