From the article: “Michael Kovrig’s detention comes after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that has infuriated Beijing.
It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver has stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. “
However, it answers my question, the Canadian arrest was at the request of the United States, but apparently this international request was not reviewed with POTUS, even though he has Constitutional authority over foreign relations.
Looks like more deliberate resistance to POTUS from the intelligence or justice communities.
That's possible, but don't forget the Chinese have their own entrenched bureaucracy...and this arrest seems more directly aimed at them.
Two deep states going at each other.