The Niagara Falls Review

No decision on Huawei and 5G yet

Canada ‘seeking clarity’ on nature of security threat

- MIKE BLANCHFIEL­D

OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says Canadians will have to wait until after this fall’s federal election to find out whether Chinese tech giant Huawei can provide equipment for the country’s next-generation 5G wireless network.

Canada needs more informatio­n from the United States about the nature of the potential security threat posed by the stateowned company, Goodale told The Canadian Press on Tuesday, adding that’s not likely to come before campaignin­g begins for the Oct. 21 election, which is expected to get underway sometime in early September.

“I think at this stage, with the amount of time that’s left between now and the issuing of a writ, that it is unlikely for that decision to be taken before an election,” Goodale said from London after a major meeting between Canada and its Five Eyes intelligen­ce allies — the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

The meeting began with divisions over whether to let Huawei supply the equipment for the 5G system. The U.S. and Australia have banned Huawei, citing concerns that it is an organ of Chinese military intelligen­ce — a charge the company denies.

Meanwhile, Goodale said Canada will continue a vigorous and ongoing review of which company is best suited to provide the equipment for the country’s powerful new 5G technology, widely seen as the necessary backbone for the coming wave of transforma­tive artificial intelligen­ce.

Canada’s eventual decision is entwined with a broader political dispute with China that has seen the People’s Republic imprison two Canadian men following the RCMP’s decision to arrest Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou on an American extraditio­n warrant.

Goodale said he was pressed on the issue by his American and Australian counterpar­ts, noting that Canada’s federal election is looming.

“I think the process is going to take longer than that,” Goodale said.

Canada, like Britain, is “seeking clarity” on the specific nature of the security threat that the U.S. sees in Huawei’s technology, Goodale said. He hinted that the American concerns might be linked to the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.

“You do have, from time to time, senior American officials commenting to the effect that this may be resolved in the context of trade negotiatio­ns. So my request to the United States, once again, is we need clarity with respect to the United States’ position.”

Until Canada has a clearer view of the U.S. position, “we have concluded that it would be wrong to make specific decisions in relation to Huawei.”

The Five Eyes also sharpened their focus on protecting children from online sexual predators, giving more attention to the subject than ever, Goodale said.

The meeting was hosted by British Home Secretary Priti Patel, who assumed her new cabinet post last week when Boris Johnson became prime minister.

Patel said prior to the summit that Britain is a global leader on national security and child protection and remains committed to working with its close partners to confront the challenges.

The group also met with the major online corporatio­ns — Facebook, Google and Microsoft — to discuss how to prevent child abuse. The companies immediatel­y adopted a set of rules proposed by the government­s to more speedily remove child porn from the web, but they still need to do more, said Goodale.

“There are so many children that are victimized for years and years and years into their adulthood when those images remain lingering on the internet,” he said.

 ?? JUSTIN TANG THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO ?? Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says Canadians will have to wait until after this fall's federal election to find out whether China's tech giant Huawei will win the contract for its next generation 5G wireless network.
JUSTIN TANG THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says Canadians will have to wait until after this fall's federal election to find out whether China's tech giant Huawei will win the contract for its next generation 5G wireless network.

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