KINGSTON, Ont. - An expert on intergovernmental affairs says it's not surprising it took the federal government over a year to secure the release of a New Brunswick farmer who was locked in a Lebanese jail.
Queen's University professor Christian Leuprecht says he believes plenty of work was done behind the scenes to make sure Henk Tepper wasn't extradited to Algeria.
Tepper returned to Canada on Saturday.
The potato farmer had been detained since March 23 last year without formal charges being laid in Lebanon.
He was held on allegations he exported rotten potatoes to Algeria in 2007 and forged export documents.
The federal government says "quiet diplomacy" led to Tepper's release.
