A definite change of position. McCallum as Canadian ambassador does not offer his personal opinions. He reflects the Canadian government's thinking.
I think that there was enough flack from Ministers and backbenchers at the last internal meeting to steer the ship around, and I think Freeland's quest for international support at Davos didn't pan out; what country would ruin its trade relations with China over a Canadian screw-up?
The whole thing was a foreign affairs fiasco.
I was wondering who is going to take or has taken the fall for this. Jody Wilson-Raybould was sacked as Justice Minister; and I wonder if part of the reason was the handling of the US extradition request. Then there is Foreign Affairs Minister Freeland, who until very recently, was insisting on her rule-of-law, and getting high profile neocons to support her assertions, like SoS Pompeo. She may have recently come to the realization that Canada does not have permanent friends, to paraphrase Lord Palmerston. Indeed, we got squat from the US for pushing their geopolitical agenda; just hostility from Trump in the form of personal invective and impulsive trade penalties. I think Freeland will have to resign over this, if the new Justice Minister quashes the extradition request, as being against Canada's interests.
