OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending a possible extradition treaty with China, saying it gives Canada a venue to raise serious issues.
Trudeau is under fire from opposition parties for pursuing the treaty, which is a feature of a new high-level security dialogue he established with Beijing on his recent visit.
The Conservatives and NDP say China's frequent use of the death penalty, among other things, makes it a bad candidate for an extradition treaty with Canada.
As he prepares to welcome Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Ottawa today, Trudeau says Canada will never approve the extradition of anyone facing the death penalty.
Trudeau wants to use the visit to deepen economic co-operation, following his trip to China three weeks ago.
But the spectre of China's pursuit and harassment of so-called economic fugitives — "Operation Fox Hunt" — and other dissidents is casting a shadow over the arrival of China's premier.
