Canada announces extradition hearing against Meng Wanzhou can go ahead

Canada has announced that an extradition hearing against Meng Wanzhou, the embattled executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei, can move forward.

"Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an authority to proceed, formally commencing an extradition processin the case of Ms. Meng Wanzhou," read a statement from the federal department.

Ottawa had until midnight Friday, three monthsafter Meng's arrest in Vancouver,to decide whetherto approve the proceedings.

The United Stateswants to try Meng oncharges related to conspiring to violate international sanctions against Iran.

Meng's defence team said in a statement that Meng maintains she is innocent of any wrongdoing and that the U.S. prosecution and extradition is an abuse of legal process.

The team said it is disappointedthat an authority to proceed was issued given the political nature of the charges and that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly saidhe would interfere in the case if he thought it would assist with trade negotiations with China.

'Apolitical persecution'

The Chinese Embassy in Canada also expressed itsdisappointment in the Department of Justice Canada's decision.

"This is not merely a judicial case, but a political persecution against a high-tech enterprise," said the embassy in a statement.

"The final result of the Canadian court to handle this case will be a touchstone for testing whether Canada adheres to the judicial independence or not," it said.

Vancouver immigration lawyer RichardKurlandsaid China has reasonable grounds to believe Canada could intervenein light of the recentSNC-Lavalincontroversy.

"Canada has stood by itspretensions that werespect the rule of law but got caught with their pants down withSNC-Lavalin, doing the opposite of what they told China they couldn't do," Kurland said.

Meng, 46, was detained at Vancouver International Airport en route from Hong Kong to Mexico on Dec. 1, 2018, enraging Chinese leaders and catapulting both countries into an ongoingdiplomatic dispute.

China has repeatedly called forMeng'srelease since her arrest. Prime Minister JustinTrudeauhas previously said Ottawa can't interfere inMeng'scase, citing the importance of respecting judges' independence and the rule of law.

Two Canadians in China, diplomat MichaelKovrigand entrepreneur MichaelSpavor,were detained on national security grounds days afterMeng'sarrest. Canada, in turn, has called for their immediate release.

Another Canadian man jailed for drug smuggling, Robert LloydSchellenberg,was handed the death sentence in mid-January.Trudeaucondemned the ruling, accusingChina of "arbitrarily" applying the penalty.

Meng was released on $10 million bail on Dec. 12, 2018. She has since been living in her property in Vancouver's affluent Dunbar neighbourhood under constant surveillance.

Friday's authority to proceed marks the first stepin the extradition process. Mengis due in B.C. Supreme Court next Wednesdayto set a date for the extradition hearing.

Even though courts in the province can now move forward with her extradition hearings, it could be a long time before Meng is sent to the U.S. if at all.

Extradition cases can stretch on for years, winding in and out of court with many avenues for appeal. In deciding on Meng's bail, B.C. Supreme Court JusticeWilliam Ehrcke cited two such cases that dragged on for a decade or more.