I’m not sure if the podcast covered it, but I found it funny that the Canadians are claiming that her phone wasn’t searched, and will release it as long as the defence agrees that it wasn’t searched.
If the defence doesn’t agree, the Canadians want to send it for forensic examination to prove that they didn’t search it.
Amazingly shrewd strategic play by Trump, IMO. In one fell swoop he created additional direct leverage in negotiations, and also created indirect leverage by making a free trade deal between China and Canada politically impossible, putting more pressure on China, and denying it access to the broader North American market. Canada didn't see this for what it is because it's currently run by a drama teacher.
It's also doing the US a big favour which Canada can call up for in the future.
Canada is also apart of five eyes and NATO. We have more than enough of our own paranoid security hawks who'd push hard for something like this. Intelligence agencies can be quite persuasive.
Not really Canada needed another source for selling its oil and possibly lumber because America loves strong arming it in trade deals because it's 1/10 the size. So geopolitically this move hurt Canada quite a bit. It could've gotten itself out of it by releasing Meng on some technicality but would've then felt Trump's ire.
If the defence doesn’t agree, the Canadians want to send it for forensic examination to prove that they didn’t search it.