A former diplomat, Michael Kovrig, who was imprisoned in China, warned that a planned electric vehicle deal with Beijing risks creating a strategic dependency. He argued the agreement could lead to unfair competition and erode Canada's industrial base.

A Canadian who was detained in China for nearly three years warned that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s electric vehicle deal risks creating a strategic dependency that the Asian superpower can exploit for political coercion. Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat who was imprisoned from 2018 to 2021, said on Tuesday that the agreement would lead to unfair competition and the erosion of Canada’s industrial base. Carney announced during a January trip to Beijing that Canada would accept an initial quota....