Former deputy Han Dong settled his defamation trial against Global News, according to a press release published on the press organization website, closing a two -year legal battle after the point of sale has published an alleged article that he had advised a Chinese diplomat to keep two Canadians held in China at the time.
Sunday morning, Global published a statement on his website That said and “former deputy Han Dong settled Mr. Dong’s trial concerning the world news which reported on the allegations on Mr. Dong”.
In March 2023, Global published an alleged story that Dong advised a high -end Chinese diplomat in February 2021 that Beijing should keep the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spolarn, two Canadians held by China at the time.
Dong denied the allegations and filed a complaint against Global, his parent company Corus and several journalists only a few weeks after the broadcast of history.
In the Final report of the public inquiry into foreign interferenceJudge Marie-Josée Hogue wrote that classified information “corroborates the denial of Mr. Dong from the allegation according to which he suggested the (People’s Republic of China) should make it possible to release Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spolar.
In his declaration, Global said that he “recognizes the conclusions” of the investigation report, including the classified information examined by Hogue.
The press organization added “the stories published by Global were based on information provided by confidential intelligence sources”.
“Mr. Dong has always denied the accuracy of this intelligence. In connection on the allegations of sources concerning Dong, Global News’ intention was to report on important public interest issues and to qualify unproven allegations and subject to different interpretations,” he said.
In a press release at CBC News, Dong confirmed the regulations and said “after two long years, finally my family and I can continue”.
“I had a profound appreciation of the privilege of holding a public service and being a member of the Liberal Caucus,” he said.
Dong left the Liberal Caucus in March 2023 to sit as an independent deputy. He does not have re -election During the 2025 federal elections in his suburbs of Toronto, Don Valley North after the Liberal Party told him that they were going to lead a new candidate, Maggie Chi – who later won driving.
MP Han Dong left the Liberal Caucus and will be seated as an independence according to the allegations that his campaign benefited from the interference of the elections of China. Dong denied allegations, which were first reported by Global News.
In June 2024, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court found no documented evidence To support the allegations formulated against Dong in global press articles.
The judge’s comments came because he rejected a request for Corus Entertainment to throw Dong’s trial against the information service, saying that it was in the public interest to hear the case.
“The question of Mr. Dong’s communications with the Chinese is worthy of the freedom of expression of an open judicial system,” said judge Paul Perell in his judgment.
Perell found that the journalist who wrote the story had not seen a transcription of the conversation between Dong and the diplomat, derived from confidential sources, and did not keep all the notes used within the framework of the declaration process.
The decision said that the marks that the journalist has preserved, based on conversations with sources, contain no reference to Dong advising a Chinese diplomat to “delay” or “retain” the liberation of the two men.
Kovrig and Spolarn returned to Canada in September 2021, almost three years after China’s first relaxation in what was largely considered to be a reprisal action in response to the Arrest of Canada of the Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, on behalf of the American authorities.