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Jun 22, 2020 4:46 PM -

Canada will not trade Meng Wanzhou for the two Michaels

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question from the media during a new conference outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Monday June 8, 2020.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is rebutting Chinese officials for calling him "irresponsible" by linking the spying charges against two Canadians to the arrest in Canada of a Chinese high tech executive.

He said today Chinese officials were the ones who initially linked the arrests of the Canadians to the arrest in Canada of a Huawei executive at the request of U.S. authorities.

Trudeau rejected the notion of a prisoner exchange of sorts to win the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.

Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on China to release two Canadian men that he says face "groundless" charges of spying.

Chinese authorities announced the charges against Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor on Friday, after they had spent more than 550 days in prison without access to lawyers or family.


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