For the first time, Michael Kovrig shares his story about being caught up in an international diplomatic dispute. In an exclusive interview, he tells CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault about being grabbed off the streets of Beijing by masked officials and how he endured 1,019 cruel days held captive in China. 00:00 The abduction 01:23 'I still carry a lot of pain around' 01:54 'They try to destroy you psychologically' 03:13 The Meng Wanzhou connection 04:04 'I underestimated their ruthlessness' 04:45 The men in black, the blindfold, and the shock 06:22 Swept into a dark maze 06:55 Accused and imprisoned 07:42 Locked up in solitary confinement 08:46 Dead silence 09:10 Isolation and relentless interrogation 10:22 'I had to find iron discipline' 11:04 Relocated: 'Like moving from hell to limbo' 11:37 Letters home to an infant daughter 12:45 Leonard Cohen helped crack the darkness 14:12 The best friend and tireless advocate 15:46 Learning Michael Spavor was taken 17:44 The Kovrig family's pain and frustration 18:54 'Going public is the only way' 19:14 Did Canada do enough? 20:04 'The Canadian government was not prepared' 20:01 On home soil: 'The weight finally lifted' 21:50 Meeting a daughter for the first time 23:34 Lingering speculation: 'I've never been a spy' 24:19 The rift between the Michaels #news #canada #china Watch The National live on YouTube starting at 9 p.m. ET Subscribe to The National: https://www.youtube.com/user/CBCTheNational?sub_confirmation=1 More from CBC News | https://www.cbc.ca/news The National is the flagship of CBC News, showcasing award-winning journalism from across Canada and around the world. Led by Chief Correspondent Adrienne Arsenault and Ian Hanomansing, our team of trusted reporters helps you make sense of the world, wherever you are.