Mr. Speaker, for nine months Canadians have isolated, worn masks and had their lives significantly disrupted, but those are inconveniences that pale in comparison to what two Canadian citizens have had to endure in China. It is going to be two years, in a couple of days, since Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were detained arbitrarily by the Chinese government.
Michael Spavor's family members are constituents of mine, and while believing that much has been done to secure his release, they are getting concerned for his well-being and for the toll that this is starting to take. While Meng Wanzhou is given due process and almost total freedom in Vancouver, Michael Spavor has been a total prisoner of the Chinese government, in apparent retaliation for her arrest.
The Spavor family is grateful for the work of Canadian officials, including ambassador Barton, during these past two years. However, today I am calling on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to elevate this file and secure the freedom of these two innocent Canadian citizens.