OTTAWA—Justice Minister David Lametti says foreign affairs will be a factor if and when it comes time for him to make what he acknowledges is a political decision whether to extradite Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States over China’s furious objections.Lametti, named three weeks ago to take over the justice file after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled Jody Wilson-Raybould off to veterans’ affairs for unspecified reasons, now finds himself on the hotseat in both the Meng Wanzhou affair and the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, among other unfinished legislative business.On Thursday, in his first sit-down interview, Lametti admitted he had no idea why Trudeau picked him to be Wilson-Raybould’s successor, and tried to draw a distinction between his job as the government’s top lawyer and being a cabinet member, Quebec minister and MP, on all those files.Lametti said he will often prioritize his role as attorney general or chief legal advisor to the government and its departments.But he said as a cabinet member he has a political role to play in helping to create and direct policy.But, he said, he will not personally make a looming decision about whether his department will put the U.S. extradition case against a Huawei executive before a Canadian judge because it would politicize the legal process, which should run its course.Read more: Liberal government will still seek deeper trade ties despite Beijing fury over Meng extraditionTrudeau is considering naming a special envoy to China as deadline looms in Meng extradition caseJohn McCallum resigns as Canada’s ambassador to China at Trudeau’s requestLametti acknowledged that the welfare of three Canadians facing “arbitrary” justice in China may depend on whether Meng is extradited to the U.S. to face fraud charges connected to alleged violations of sanctions against Iran. But he insisted the plight of the Canadians and Meng’s extradition are “ ...
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