Canada will continue receiving over a million COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNtech every week until the end of May.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is also finalizing details with the Biden Administration for the 1.5-million AstraZeneca doses the United States is to send to Canada.Â
In his daily update, Trudeau also addressed Thursday’s trial of Canadian Michael Spavor in China and the upcoming trial for Michael Kovrig.
“Let me be very clear, their arbitrary detention is completely unacceptable as is the lack of transparency around these court proceedings,” said Trudeau. “Our top priority remains securing their release. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Spavor’s trial ended Thursday without a clear verdict, while Kovrig’s trial in China is set for Monday.
Both Michaels were arrested by China in December 2018 on suspicion of spying, shortly after Canada had detained top Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on an extradition warrant from the United States. The United States alleges that Wanzhou misled them about her firm’s contacts with Iran, violating American sanctions against the country.
Canada has rejected China’s claims that the two cases are unrelated.
*** with files from Mohamed Fahim **