anada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Chief Nicole Goodman who oversaw staff at Vancouver’s airport when Huawei CFO Ms Meng Wanzhou was arrested more than two years ago recently testified in a British Columbia Court hearing that information sharing between her agency and the federal police (RCMP) was inappropriate.
CBSA Chief Goodman told the court Meng’s travel history should not have been shared with the FBI. Chief Goodman was reacting to communications shown in court between Canadian and US agencies that did not establish a clear legal basis for such sharing.
CBSA Chief Goodman testified in British Columbia Supreme Court as part of Meng’s US extradition case. Meng, the 48-year old daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested on a US warrant on Dec. 1, 2018 at Vancouver International Airport.
Huawei’s CFO faces charges of bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break US sanctions. Ms Meng has denied the charges and is fighting the extradition from Vancouver, where she is under house arrest.
Ms Meng’s Canadian legal team have argued that US and Canadian authorities improperly coordinated ahead of her arrest, using the extended investigative powers of the CBSA to first interrogate Ms Meng unfairly without any lawyer present.
Ms Meng’s legal team allege the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) directed the CBSA’s investigation of Ms Meng, and CSBA inappropriately shared information with the RCMP.
At a court hearing in December, 2020 Ms Meng’s defense lawyer Mona Duckett’s questioning of CBSA Chief Goodman reinforced what appears to be an admission that Canadian officials indeed mishandled Ms Meng’s case. CBSA Chief Goodman’s statement seemed to imply the RCMP was illegally leading the CBSA’s investigation and then later is covering it up.
After the admission, CBSA Chief Goodman concluded, “There’s nothing for me to hide. I feel like everything was done in good faith.” Even in light of the admissions, Canadian Prosecutors still claim the investigation and arrest of Ms Meng followed standard procedures and the extradition of Ms Meng to the US under a writ by the United States Department of Justice should move forward.
Witness testimony and evidence continued on before the British Columbia Court despite reports US prosecutors are discussing a deal with Ms Meng’s Canadian legal team to resolve criminal charges against her, this would all but terminate a case that has strained ties between the US, China and Canada. Meng’s extradition hearing is expected to wrap up in April, 2021.
The improprieties highlighted by CBSA Chief Goodman raise concerns that the treatment of Ms. Meng was unfair and potentially politically motivated. While the USA and allies are within rights to set trade restrictions and sanctions carrying criminal penalty, enforcement of these regulations against foreign nationals must be carefully monitored to ensure fair treatment and the same due process afforded as would be afforded to USA or Canadian citizens.