Key Highlights:
- François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, said the country intends “to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE’s products and services in Canada’s telecommunications system”.
- Alykhan Velshi, Huawei’s vice-president of corporate affairs for the Americas told, “We’ve been expecting this for three years.” “We’re disappointed by the outcome, but what the government announced is the intent to introduce legislation, but right now there is no prohibition on the book for selling Huawei equipment.”
- Along with the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network which includes the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the US had long urged Canada to join the members to ban Huawei from their domestic telecom networks.
Recently, Huawei and ZTE were ban from providing 5G services in the Canada. This came after the move made by a US ally to target the Chinese equipment telecoms manufacturers. On 19 May, François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, said the country intends “to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE’s products and services in Canada’s telecommunications system”.
François-Philippe Champagne said, “Providers who already have this equipment installed will be required to cease its use and remove it.” Further he added, the federal government will not compensate companies for the removal of Huawei and ZTE gear. Equipment used for 4G networks will also need to be removed.
Disappointed by the outcome
In recent years, there is a rise of concerns about Huawei’s global expansion amid worries as the company has connections with China’s military and facilitates Beijing’s cyber espionage around the world. In an interview, Alykhan Velshi, Huawei’s vice-president of corporate affairs for the Americas told, “We’ve been expecting this for three years.” “We’re disappointed by the outcome, but what the government announced is the intent to introduce legislation, but right now there is no prohibition on the book for selling Huawei equipment.”
“It’s for the government to provide evidence that Huawei is a national security threat as they claim, they have not done so.”
Along with the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network which includes the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the US had long urged Canada to join the members to ban Huawei from their domestic telecom networks. Huawei is already restricted from operating in the markets of the US and Australia. However, it is used by a large number of Canadian telecommunications companies.
