A member of the parliamentary delegation in China says Canadian lawmakers called for the release of two detained Canadians and discussed the arrest last month of Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou.

Conservative MP Michael Cooper says he believes the officials they spoke with ”got our message,” however the officials are not those directly involved in the cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

(Spavor,Kovrig/Associated Press/Canadian Press)

Meanwhile, Hugh Stephens of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada believes the detainees will remain in custoy for some time.

”I hate to be pessimistic,” he told  Zoomer Radio’s ”Fight Back” with Libby Znaimer.

”I think they’re not going to be breathing the fresh air … wherever they’re situation is … for a while.   Looking ahead at the Meng (extradition) process … allegedly, according to the Chinese, there’s no connection, of course there is.” 

Stephens is also critical of the U.S. response to the Canadians’ detention, calling it ”limp-wristed,” ”disgraceful,” and ”shameful”.

”Let’s call a spade a spade.  Canada took a bullet for the U.S. on this (arresting Meng).  And the U.S. has not done what we would expect.”

Meng was arrested in Vancouver December 1.

Kovrig and Spavor were picked up just days later.