Canadian ambassador to China Dominic Barton resigns in wake of two Michaels’ release
- Helping secure the freedom of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from detention in China in September was ‘the honour of a lifetime’, said Barton
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the pair’s release was thanks to Barton’s ‘leadership and skilled diplomatic approach’
Canadian ambassador to China Dominic Barton is resigning, just months after working to secure Beijing’s release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, a task he described as “the honour of a lifetime”.
Barton said in an exit statement on Monday that his resignation was effective December 31.
The former global managing partner of consulting giant McKinsey and Co was appointed ambassador in 2019, during a deep ebb in Canada’s relationship with China.
Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou had been arrested in Vancouver in December 2018, triggering fury from Beijing. Kovrig and Spavor were swiftly arrested in China and accused of espionage, but their detention was widely seen as retaliation for Meng’s arrest on a US fraud warrant.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday paid tribute to Barton’s efforts on behalf of the pair, who became known as the two Michaels. Their freedom was thanks to Barton’s “leadership and skilled diplomatic approach”, Trudeau said in a statement.
