University of Calgary classmate reacts to news of Michael Spavor's release from Chinese prison
Michael Purity, a former University of Calgary classmate of Michael Spavor, was camping in the California backwoods when he got the news from CTV that Spavor, one of the two Michaels, was on a plane home from China.
"My immediate reaction to finding that Michael Spavor is a free man?" Purity asked, before breaking out into what might be called a Snoopy Dance of Joy.
"I'm excited. This is really great news!" he said.
Shortly before 7 p.m. in Calgary, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Spavor and Michael Kovrig had boarded a plane bound for Canada, after being imprisoned in China since December, 2018.
Purity had been calling for the release of both Michaels and, after the U.S. dropped an extradition request of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, it happened.
"I'm so grateful to have these two Michaels back in freedom in their home and native land," Purity said.
He reflected on the fact that Spavor and Kovrig spent close to three years in harsh and inhospitable detention, most of it awaiting trial.
"A thousand days," he said. "It's an incredible number of days that you and I have been out enjoying fresh air and freedom and we haven't had the challenges that Michael's faced by any means.
Michael Purity, a friend of Michael Spavor, spoke to CTV News Friday night and said he was overjoyed at the development in the case.
"To hear what eventually happened (to the two Michaels) was extremely traumatizing," he said. "To think that 11 years was what he was sentenced to a few weeks ago, I was very disheartened to read that and didn't really understand – how could that be?
"But now things make more sense and the flip side of the bad news is some good news."
"(It was) hard to have a friend of mine, or any Canadian in a traumatic situation that is not just – and now we have justice, so I'm very happy."
Late Friday evening, the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sent out a statement regarding the release of the two Michaels.
"The U.S. Government stands with the international community in welcoming the decision by People’s Republic of China authorities to release Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig after more than two-and-a-half years of arbitrary detention. We are pleased that they are returning home to Canada."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.