The federal government is trying to throw a shroud of secrecy over information a Chinese refugee claimant in British Columbia says could be crucial to his case.
A Federal Court judge will hear the government’s plea Friday to shield portions of two Canada Border Services Agency documents from disclosure in the case of Shiyuan Shen, who is wanted in China on allegations of fraud.
In a filing with the court, the government argues revealing the information would hurt international relations and shatter Canada’s credibility in the eyes of foreign allies and sources.
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Shen, who runs a kitchen-cabinet business in Richmond, B.C., arrived in Canada 10 years ago.
The border services agency arrested him for suspected involvement in illegal activities in China related to the steel trade, based on an outstanding warrant issued by the Public Security Bureau in Shanghai.
In 2011, Shen applied for refugee protection in Canada, saying the Chinese had targeted him for political reasons.