B.C. man who was wrongfully jailed in China offers advice to the 2 Michaels upon their return
A B.C. man who was wrongfully jailed in China back in 2014 is offering his advice to Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor upon their return to Canada.
Entrepreneurs and Christian aid workers, Kevin and Julia Garratt had lived in China for 30 years when they were arrested at accused of spying by Chinese authorities on Aug. 4, 2014.
The two were arrested while exiting a restaurant. Julia would spend six months in jail, while Kevin was incarcerated for nearly two years.
"I'm thinking, ‘How did they get this so wrong?’" said Kevin.
Little did he know, back in Canada, Chinese man Su Bin had been arrested and accused of stealing data of American military projects. Bin would later be extradited to the U.S. and plead guilty to the charges brought against him.
Like the two Michaels, who were jailed for nearly three years in apparent retaliation for Canada’s detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States, Kevin and Julia were seemingly arrested on bogus charges because the Chinese government wanted to make a point.
The couple would eventually be returned home to Canada in 2017.
Like many Canadians, Kevin was relieved to see the two Michaels heading home Friday, but relief wasn’t the only emotion he was feeling.
"It brought back all the memories,” he said. “All the memories of sitting in that cell for two years.”
Kevin says it took him about a year and a half to adapt back to his normal lifestyle. He encourages Kovrig and Spavor to take it slow.
“It’s going to take them some time to readjust,” he said. “They’ve lived a little confined environment for such a long time.”
Garratt says it was the little things that helped him get back to normal.
“Take time to walk in the park, take time with coffee with friends,” he said. “Don’t jump back to work or a write a book. Do that in time.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.