On Mirko Bibic’s first day as head of Canada’s biggest telecom, he described Huawei as a “great partner.” He also asked for “clarity” from the federal government on whether or not Huawei will be banned from the country’s 5G networks. (Bloomberg)

Talking point: The Liberals have repeatedly said a decision on Huawei will not be a political one. However, Bibic’s appeal comes as the government faces growing pressure from the Conservatives and the U.S. to ban the Chinese firm. Washington is pushing countries around the world to restrict the company, which it says is a national security risk, but China is threatening trade action if bans are imposed. Australia and the U.S. have imposed restrictions on the company and Germany and the U.K. are mulling bans. Bell and Telus, which both use Huawei equipment extensively in their networks, could face at least $1 billion in costs if they’re ordered to remove Huawei’s material.