OTTAWA -- A senior Huawei Canada official says the consequences would be catastrophic if the company were caught spying on behalf of Beijing.
Scott Bradley, vice-president of corporate affairs, says people should think rationally about the notion of Huawei risking tens of billions of dollars by engaging in illicit activity for spymasters.
In an interview, Bradley all but dismisses the idea, saying the effect on Huawei -- and others in the technology sector -- would be massive.
Bradley stresses that Huawei has built a solid track record in Canada over the last decade, employing 960 people, conducting research and abiding by stringent security provisions.
The comments come as the federal government weighs Huawei's possible participation in the next-generation 5G wireless system.
Private companies such as BCE and Telus will do the building, but the federal government could forbid them to use certain products on security grounds.
