自由党SNC丑闻加大孟晚舟案的胜算

如果孟晚舟律师团能向法庭证实加美两国的司法程序会受政治因素影响，那么孟晚舟的引渡要求就会被法庭驳回。加拿大就逮捕孟晚舟曾多次表明加国是在按照法律程序，尊崇法律至上的原则办事。但自由党的SNC丑闻令这一高调说辞受到质疑，给加拿大逮捕华为高管之目的画上问号，也给孟引渡判决蒙上阴影。

Meng Wanzhou’s extradition request will be turned down by court judge if her defense lawyers can prove that the US or the Canadian legal process is subject to political influence. In arresting of Meng, Trudeau repeatedly claimed that Canada was following the rule of the law and its due process. However, the Liberal’s SNC scandal has put that claim under scrutiny, raising concerns over Canada’s motives for arresting the Huawei’s executive and casting shadows over her extradition hearing.



美国总统川普曾表示，如能减缓与中国的贸易战，他将参与撤销对孟的刑事指控。川普之言给孟晚舟案件盖上一层政治面纱，也将“美国政治干预司法程序”的把柄直截了当地授予了孟的辩护团。

The US president Trump said he would drop the charges against Meng if it would help in his country’s trade dispute with China. His comments cover the case with a cloud of political influence, fueling the defense arguments that the US judicial proceedings are used for political purposes.

但是，如果说川普之言让孟的辩护团捞到救命稻草，那么加拿大的SNC丑闻则让孟的律师团如虎添翼，以更猛烈的攻势抨击“加拿大法律至上”之言辞。

However, If Trump’s comments served as a lifesaver rescue for Meng’s defense team, the SNC scandal in Canada has equipped them with more arsenals to attack Trudeau’s rule of law assertion.

自由党政治干预加国司法程序的行为由来已久。为了让SNC免于刑事诉讼，联邦政府可谓费劲了心机。早在2015年，自由党就考虑通过建立推迟诉讼体制，以便让像SNC这类加国公司巨头免遭刑事起诉。 但当2018年9月加国检察官Kathleen Roussel决定不与SNC达成私下和解，特鲁多两周后会见当时的司法部长和总检察长王州迪，向她施压，以期她能推翻检察官的决定而让SNC免于刑事审判。

The Liberal’s efforts to politically interfere judiciary process seems to be years in the making. Tremendous efforts have been made to protect SNC-Lavalin from criminal trials by the Liberal government. In 2015, the Liberals were considering amending the criminal code by implementing a deferred prosecution regime, which would spare corporate giants like SNC from a criminal trial. However, after Kathleen Roussel, the director of public prosecutor decided on Sept. 4, 2018, not to reach a private settlement with the company, Trudeau met then-Justice Minister and Attorney General Wilson-Raybould two weeks later, pressing her to overturn Ms. Roussel’s decision – in a bid to allow SNC to avoid the criminal proceedings.



王州迪在周三的众议院立法委员会上作证称：“在2018年9月到12月间，我遭到联邦政府众多人士反复不断的骚扰，要求担任检察总长的我行使特殊权利进行政治干预，企图让SNC-Lavalin免遭刑事起诉。这些施压甚至暗示着威胁，如果我不改变主张的话。”

“For a period of approximately four months, between September and December of 2018, I experienced a consistent and sustained effort by many people within the government to seek to politically interfere in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion in my role of Attorney General of Canada, in an inappropriate effort to secure a prosecution agreement with SNC-Lavalin,” she said Wednesday, as she testified before the House Justice Committee on the SNC-Lavalin scandal. “The alleged pressure include “veiled threat” if she did not change her mind.

当王州迪拒绝向特鲁多低头并政治干预这一司法程序后，气急败坏的特鲁多政府于今年2月将其降职于次要岗位，让她担任退伍军人部长。在特鲁多公开声明称王州迪被降职后仍很开心留任内阁后，王州迪立刻宣布辞去退伍部长职务。

When Wilson-Raybould refused to bow to the pressure or to intervene on the matter politically, the frustrated Trudeau government demoted her in Feb. and shuffled her to the lesser cabinet position of minister of Veterans Affairs. Trudeau’s ensuing public statements that Wilson-Raybould was happy to remain in the cabinet after the demotion prompted her to immediately resign from her post. 



特鲁多政府政治干预加国司法系统，其背后原因简单明了。SNC对自由党政府来说具有重要的政治作用。这一将导致该公司数十亿元合同受损的刑事审判不但对SNC公司本身，甚至对自由党政府来说都后果不堪设想。这家全球拥有5万3000个、加国国内9000个工作的公司是加国经济支柱，也是政府税收的一大来源。更重要的是，魁省是即将到来的联邦大选的策略要地，而这家总部设于魁省的公司将在自由党政府连任竞选中起着举足轻重的作用。SNC在基础开发投资项目中创造的工作机会也是特鲁多政府在该省拉选票的契机，而目前已有多名联邦部长在魁省游说，大肆宣传魁省经济美妙前景。

Reasons behind Trudeau government’s efforts to intervene Canada’s justice system were simple and straight forward. SNC presents strategic political importance to the Liberals. The criminal trial which may put its billions of contracts at risk will deal a hash blow to not only the company but also Trudeau government.   With 53000 jobs across the globe and 9000 in Canada, SNC is Canada’s economic flagship and a fuel injector for government’s coffers. More importantly, with SNC’s headquarter in Quebec -- a highly sought-after turf province in the upcoming federal election, the company plays a significant role in the Liberals’ re-election strategy. The job created by SNC through Liberal’s infrastructure investment has been the touting point for the Liberals, as its ministers crisscross the province painting a rosy economic future for Quebec voters. 

自由党就SNC政治干预司法的行为，一旦得到证实，就表明当政党自身利益受到威胁，什么司法独立，什么民主原则都可以被抛到九霄云外。它将使特鲁多通过孟晚舟案件打造的，即加国司法系统绝不会受到政治干预的形象受损，为其法律至上的说辞蒙上虚伪的面纱。

The Liberals’ political interference over SNC, if proven, shows that when a party’s interest is on the line, judiciary independence or democracy can go out the window. It ruins the image Ottawa has pledged through Mengs’s case -- that Canada judiciary system is free from political interference, turning his rule of law claim into hypocrisy.



更重要的是，它给孟晚舟的支持者们提供的最佳辩护机会。孟晚舟的父亲，华为创始者任正非本周更是变本加厉地对其女遭逮捕发起攻击。

Moreover, it provides the best defense opportunity for Meng’s supporters. Ren Zhengfei, Meng’s father and Huawei’s founder escalated his rhetoric this week in accusing Meng’s arrest was politically motivated.

同时，他也表达了对女儿不久将被释放的信心。

He also made comments revealing his confidence over his daughter's release.

任正非表示：“我相信加国和美国司法系统的公开，透明和公正。它将达成一个公正的判决。”的确，SNC丑闻给孟晚舟的辩护团队雪中送炭，最及时地输送了其所需的弹药。

“I trust that the legal systems of Canada and the United States are open, just and fair, and will reach a just conclusion,” said Ren. Indeed, the SNC scandal has only bolstered Meng’s defense argument over political interference.