OTTAWA—A Conservative government under Andrew Scheer would ban Chinese telecom giant Huawei from participating in Canada’s next generation wireless networks, the Star has learned.

Scheer’s office confirmed Wednesday that the Conservatives would ban Huawei products from Canada’s 5G infrastructure if they form the government after this fall’s federal election.

“As Mr. Scheer has said in the past, he believes Huawei poses a threat to Canada’s national security,” said Brock Harrison, Scheer’s director of communications, in a written statement.

As prime minister, Scheer “would move to block Huawei from participating in Canada’s 5G networks,” Harrison wrote.

Scheer delivered a major foreign policy speech in Montreal Tuesday, during which he singled out the “rise of China” as one of the three largest threats he sees to Canada’s security and prosperity.

The Conservative leader also flagged cybersecurity as a key aspect of his thinking on foreign policy. Scheer said the future threats to Canada’s security are more likely to come through mobile devices than “land, sea or air.”

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Huawei is the world’s largest producer of network equipment for telecom and internet companies. But the United States argues it’s also a security risk, and that the company’s close ties with the Chinese government could put internet users’ data at risk. Huawei has consistently rejected those claims.

The U.S. has lobbied its allies, including Canada, to ban Huawei products from its 5G networks, and issue has divided the Five Eyes security alliance, which usually responds in lockstep in such matters.

The U.S. and Australia have blocked domestic companies from using Huawei technology. New Zealand has also blocked a domestic telecommunications company from using Huawei technology, but Bloomberg News reported that the country remained open to Huawei’s participation in its 5G networks.

The U.K. has suggested it will take a “balanced” approach to the deployment of Huawei technology, while the Canadian government is currently conducting a national security review of the matter.

“Other countries have obviously made their views known and their views are important to us. We will weigh all of that very carefully in the decision,” Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters in January. “Ultimately this decision has to be made in the best interests of Canada.”

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On Tuesday, Huawei Canada’s chief security officer told reporters that Huawei’s equipment has never suffered a security breach in the decade the company has been operating in Canada.

Olivera Zatezalo said she’s in regular contact with the officials conducting Canada’s national security review into Huawei’s equipment, but doesn’t know if the federal government will rule in her company’s favour. She also told reporters Canadians should trust the federal government’s expertise in network security.

Canada-China relations has become a central issue in the federal political debate in 2019.

Canada’s December arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, angered Beijing and set off a serious diplomatic rift between the two countries.

Meng is wanted in the U.S. on fraud and conspiracy charges over alleged attempts by the company to circumvent American sanctions against Iran.

The resulting legal showdown could take years to resolve, leaving Canada-China relations tense for the foreseeable future. On Wednesday, the B.C. Supreme Court decided Meng’s extradition hearing won’t start until January 2020.

Meng’s lawyers made clear that they will make use of comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Meng’s legal situation could factor into U.S.-China trade negotiations. They told the court they will argue she shouldn’t be extradited to the U.S. because she hasn’t committed fraud under Canadian law, and that her arrest at Vancouver’s airport was unlawful.

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After Meng’s arrest, two Canadian nationals — former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor — were detained by Chinese authorities on espionage charges. They have been held in Chinese custody since early December. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called their detainment “arbitrary.”

Last month, China banned shipments from two Canadian canola suppliers, arguing recent shipments of their product was tainted. Federal officials revealed this week that China has also banned shipments from two Canadian pork producers.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Press reported that the federal government has brought the canola issue before the World Trade Organization’s general council, offering to meet with the Chinese in good faith to resolve the issue.

Scheer is calling for a “complete reset” of Canada-Chinese relations amid the growing tensions.

With files from Melanie Green and the Canadian Press

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