The court said that the defendant, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, had previously been found guilty of drug trafficking but had challenged the ruling.
READ MORE: China 'Resolutely Opposes' Calls for Release of Detained Canadians
Canadian-Chinese relations have worsened after the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese high-tech giant Huawei, in Vancouver earlier in December at the request of the US authorities on suspicions of violating Washington’s Iran sanctions. The move was slammed by Beijing which called on Ottawa to release the official.
Moreover, Chinese authorities detained ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor on charges of threatening national security.