Martin herself may be to blame

Since this is Good Friday (thank you Dr. Roy), I don't want to focus too much on political issues today but a few things need to be said.

On a personal note, thank you SDA for helping me shatter my previous one-day hit record of about 1600 with an impressive 2 K+. As a blogger, it's fun to keep track of such things.

Secondly, my assessment of yesterday's events both here and at SDA has led me to the conclusion that Brenda Martin is the author of her own misfortune. Her accomplices and enablers include the gleeful LPC, sanctimonious MSM, and Martin's scornful family and friends that have been so vocal, ungrateful and vicious as to actually alienate not only Canadian supporters such as myself, but also the Mexican government which now seems to be indignantly digging in its heels over the political interference of its own legal jurisdiction.

Yesterday, the Mexican Embassy issued the following statement (Globe):

"Brenda Kim Martin is detained, pursuant to the order of the competent Mexican Federal court," the release said, adding that she has been seen by doctors and Canadian diplomats in the two years she has been held. It said Ms. Martin's decisions to change lawyers and launch constitutional challenges have "significantly contributed to the delay in her trial." The statement concluded that, should Ms. Martin be convicted, treaties could allow her to serve her sentence in a Canadian prison...

Christina Spencer notes that the continued antagonistic effort of the media and Mrs. Martin's supporters could have negative consequences:

...But often, the louder the diplomacy, the harder it is to find a happy ending. Too much public pressure on another government can backfire, drawing out a crisis for years, seasoned diplomats warn. "The Mexicans are probably saying 'bugger you' -- it's gotten to the point now where it's having a negative effect on the people involved," says Gar Pardy, former director general of the consular affairs bureau at the department of foreign affairs. The principle is simple: Governments don't like to be embarrassed by other governments who criticize them. "They're less willing to move the paper than otherwise would be the case."

Spencer goes on to list several incidents in the past where aggressive Canadian political intervention has gone badly.

She finishes up with this:

...When a Canadian is arrested abroad -- and in early 2008 there were 21 Canadians in jail in Mexico -- diplomats try to work quietly and informally to win their release or improve conditions. The Canadian government, for instance, says there have been about 100 consular contacts with Brenda Martin since her arrest.
Of course, that quiet action hasn't won her freedom. But "the Mexicans have responded to her personal care in terms of the concerns that have been expressed about her mental health. In terms of some of the cases you deal with, to have that level of attention and care is very rare," Pardy says.

So the Mexican justice system is doing the best it can under the circumstances. And guess what? Martin may actually be guilty. That hasn't been determined yet. At the very least, there is more to this story than meets the eye.



We need to ensure that emotional performances don't overshadow the need for reason and due process.

If the determination of guilt or innocence hinged only on an Oscar-winning show of tears and venom, Brenda Martin would be a free woman today.

* * * *

Update: I came across this article in the Post, and it should be noted that Brenda's friend, Debra Tieleman has actually shown a modicum of gratitude and civility:

...But Debra Tieleman, a childhood friend of Ms. Martin's who has led the public campaign to free her, said Mr. Kenney seems to be the first Conservative who is truly committed to getting Ms. Martin out of prison as quickly as possible.

Good for her.