Sorting through the Mexican beans

The hot air surrounding the Brenda Martin case has reached firestorm proportions which the government obviously feels the need to mollify as much as humanly possible.

The Liberals are trying to use this story as a political hammer, but it has been blown all out of proportion - especially by Dan McTeague.

It's become increasingly difficult to extricate the truth in all of this baseless rhetoric, but my sense is that Canadians are becoming less sympathetic as the story unfolds.

McTeague charges that "the federal government is dragging its feet, preventing Brenda Martin's quick handover to Canadian authorities."

Yet, the Gazette reports that it's actually the terms of the international treaty regarding prisoner transfers that is holding things up.

The Canadian Government is actually taking the unusual step of lending Brenda her get-out-of-jail fine, which makes me wonder what happened to her legion of strong supporters?

Yesterday's Post contained several letters from readers about this debacle, but this one says it best (excerpt):

My wife and I are non-resident Canadians who have made Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, our home in retirement. We have, therefore, been following the Brenda Martin case with much interest.

While it is impossible not to feel sympathetic toward a woman in such distress, I suspect that at least some her troubles were of her own making. And we understand that the Mexican legal system is much less predictable and transparent than Canada's.

No Canadian should feel unduly at risk living or vacationing in Mexico. However, in the event of finding yourself tangled up with the legal system, do not expect special treatment; do not denigrate the Mexican legal system; and do not get angry with individual Mexicans. Show contriteness, politeness and patience -- and, if the issue is sufficiently serious, get legal assistance via the nearest Canadian consular office...

Brenda Martin, along with her gang of outspoken supporters and the complicit media and Liberals may be their own worst enemies.

Brenda Martin - Contrast of opinons

Hunter has a great post up contrasting the opinions of Dan McTeague vs. Bill Graham on the matter of Brenda Martin. I highly recommend reading it if you have any interest at all in this matter.

CanWest publishing seems to be particularly championing Brenda's cause. See today's editorial in the Edmonton Journal and also this report by Charles Rusnell in today's Ottawa Citizen.

The Journal laments:

Still, it's impossible to not be touched by the images of ravaged Brenda Martin we're presented with daily. Through the diligent reporting of the Journal's Charles Rusnell, we've gotten to know the woman better than most Canadians.

Charles Rusnell reports in the Citizen:

"I can't believe that my government would stand by and let them railroad me," Ms. Martin said.

I think it would help all concerned if Bill Graham could make a quick trip to Mexico and give Brenda Martin a reality check in person. She does seem to listen to Liberals, after all.

* * * *

Update: We found the missing Ezra video!!!! Silk Stocking has it here.

Our own little travesty of justice

Peter Kormos said it all:

..."The Baltovich story has a very Mexican ring to it, if you will,” Kormos said.

Bentley was evasive when asked about a news report that the Crown had earlier offered Baltovich a one-day jail sentence in return for revealing the location of Bain’s body...

Meanwhile, Deb Tielman seems to have finally learned that you catch more flies with honey than with caustic rhetoric:

"I do believe this is good for Brenda," she added. "I think to have Jason (Kenney) come and be able to give Brenda some kind of assurance from the government that this is going to be expedited and they can have her home in a couple of weeks will give Brenda something to hold on to.

I could actually get back on board the Brenda bandwagon if this keeps up.

* * * *

Related: CBC notes that the Premier and the AG don't seem to have their talking points synchronized today....

More on Baltovich at The Politic.


And poor Tonda. She just couldn't get Bill Graham to take a partisan stand on Brenda Martin.

Claire Hoy has a great editorial on Brenda Martin - Politics and Martin; Canadian prisoner in Mexico strangely partisan in her attacks.

Brenda Martin found guilty

CTV reports that Brenda Martin has been found guilty and gets five years. Her mother is being shown live on Newsnet right now. I feel sorry for her.

Star - No parole.


Update: Martin expected to be moved to Canadian prison soon. (Globe)

Get her OUT OF HERE!

Mexico is pulling out all stops to extradite Brenda Martin:

"...Mexico just wants her out of the country as soon as possible..."

Gee, I wonder why?

All Brenda, all the time

Latest on Brenda Martin here.

Mike Duffy called Brenda's wait in prison 'tragic' on tonight's show. Oh pull-eze.

'Tragic', Duff? Usually we reserve that for a fallen soldier or a murdered child.

But Craig Oliver made up for that at the end of the show: "I don't remember a Canadian in trouble abroad who's had more attention than this woman has. I think she should stop complaining about every .."

And then Jane interrupted to remind us what a hard time poor Brenda has had.

Funny how CTV didn't post that clip tonight.

Brenda's back in the headlines

After having had a brief reprieve from the Brenda Martin saga, we see that she's back in the news today - Brenda Martin in tears at final hearing:

Brenda Martin, held in a Mexican prison for over two years on fraud charges, burst into tears at her final hearing Monday after the judge said he wouldn't guarantee a ruling in her case by Friday.

The Mexican judge apparently wasn't moved by her tears and maintains that he is entitled to 30 business days to make a decision.

The evidence against her seems to be circumstantial at best.

So anyway, I'm just curious. Have your feelings about this situation changed at all? Do you feel more sympathetic now, or less, or no change?

Have we reached the "Brenda Martin" saturation point?

The strategy of Brenda Martin and her supporters (including MSM and the LPC) has been to fire humiliating and scornful salvos at the Canadian Government, and hope that somehow this will expedite Martin's release from Mexican prison.

Leaving the rationale of the plan aside, one has to wonder if it's actually working. This CTV report states that while 'hundreds' of supporters were expected, only four dozen actually showed up.

Some of those 'four dozen' were undoubtedly Liberal MPs seeking to take advantage of the situation. Liberal Paul Macklin obviously feels that size doesn't matter:

"I've been on Parliament Hill for many years as an MP and I will say today was the most emotional day I've ever spent on the Hill," Macklin, a former Liberal MP for the riding of Northumberland-Quinte West in Ontario, told Newsnet.

"To hear (Martin) thank everyone across this country was just amazing for all of us."

Well, I'm sure it was moving for family and friends - and for opposition MPs hoping to exploit it as a wedge issue.


However, one organizer justified the weak turnout with this statement: "The problem with rallies like this sometimes is that the people interested are not living in the city where the rally takes place."


Uh-huh. Going by that logic, then the only rallies that attract large support on the Hill are those that appeal to the local folks?


National Post reader Roy Weston may have nailed it although he didn't specifically mention Brenda Martin's name:

...It's incumbent upon travellers, not the government, to know what their rights are when they travel to another country. If they don't like their chances, should they be arrested, then they shouldn't go abroad. Canadian representatives can't just wave a magic wand and free people from jail, and all the teary-eyed blubbering by those who have been arrested is not going to change that...

Wake up people! The Nanny State ends at our borders.

* * * *

Update: In case you missed it, CTV's Question Period covered the story yesterday, and ran a few audio clips from a telephone interview with Brenda Martin:

"...I've turned down visits because they wanted to see me, but they have not been nice to me...

"...I have been angry? Yes, I've been angry..."

* * * *

Tuesday Update: Jailed Canadian to get hearing - Post.

Also, I've updated all related labels so that you can follow the whole chronology of the Brenda Martin saga by clicking on the label "Brenda Martin" (below)


Wednesday Update: Mexican president could free Martin - Edmonton Journal.

Thursday Update: Canadians should yell about Brenda - Ottawa Citizen.
(Love to hear your thoughts on this one!)

Amherst Daily - Focus on Martin may aid case: MP. Uh-huh.

Here's another injustice for Dan McTeague to champion - The HRC

Liberal MP Dan McTeague does seem to like being in the limelight, and some of his causes are worthwhile.

However, yesterday he stated that "Foreign Affairs violated Brenda Martin's privacy rights by allegedly leaking a department report" according to Canadian Press.

Well, as my insightful reader Gabby pointed out in comments, this is all a bit rich:

So now Ms. Martin's privacy rights have been violated?
Who splashed her story all over the MSM - press, TV, radio?
Who made sure her name was on practically every news report?
And which parties continuosly accuse the government of secrecy, lack of transparency, and unwillingness to release documents under the freedom of information requests?
So now that the government releases information, it's a violation of Ms. Martin's privacy?
A little consistency would be welcome.

Oh! the hypocrisy!

So, if you're concerned about privacy rights being violated, Mr. McTeague, how about shining a light on this abuse as reported in Jonathan Kay's excellent Post editorial this morning - A disaster for Canada's Human Rights Commission:

Privacy is another concept that the HRC seems to find confusing. The most scandalous disclosure to emerge on Tuesday involved the manner by which investigators logged on to Lemire's Web site.

In what appears to be a ham-fisted attempt to avoid revealing the commission's IP address, they tapped into the unsecured wi-firouter of a 26-year-old Ottawa woman who lived near the commission's 344 Slater St. headquarters. At Tuesday's hearing, a Bell Canada employee read out the woman's name, address and phone number to shocked audience members. A National Post reporter contacted the woman and found that she'd never heard of Lemire, Steacy, or his investigations. Unless she is secretly working undercover for Steacy, it appears that the commission cynically invaded the privacy of an innocent citizen in order to pursue an obscure Web-trawling vendetta; and then caused her name to be read out to the Canadian public, thereby identifying her as an unwitting conduit to neo-Nazi Web sites. One likes to imagine that the privacy commissioner will be having a chat with Dean et al. in coming days.

This is absolutely horrifying. Just think about it. The HRC is trolling and baiting using an innocent citizen's IP address, and then her name gets dragged into this abysmal, taxpayer-funded sinkhole of a Kangaroo Court!

To be fair to Dan McTeague, he has already come out in support of fellow Liberal MP Dr. Keith Martin's private member's bill M - 446. (Note how he says there is a "reversal of the presumption of innocence" in the clip. How ironic considering the Martin case where we talk about Mexico's horrible justice system!!)

I think we need Dan McTeague's help in getting this issue front and centre in the media.

Every citizen in Canada should be warned about how Free Speech is not given 'any value' by HRC's Dean Steacy.

Because when you think about it, aren't even Canadians like Brenda Martin more threatened by lack of free speech than anything else?

* * * *

Update: The Belleville Intelligencer is obviously not so intelligent.

Martin rally still on this weekend. How about a rally against the HRC, folks? Or are you not concerned about your right to free speech and being able to hold rallies?


CTV Update: Brenda Martin says 'leaked' report violates privacy.

Ottawa Citizen: Don't throw stones at Mexico by Gar Purdy.

Uncommon Truths - Brenda Martin: Ms. Damned if you do...

Puerto Vallarta Scene Forum - with postings by Deb Tieleman.

CTV W5 (background)

Privacy czar looking into ‘leaked' report on jailed Canadian - Globe.

Liberals blast Bernier over leak - Charles Rusnell.

Privacy czar will probe Brenda Martin report leak - CTV.


'Dozens' of people at rally - Globe

Bill Casey, won't you please stay home? (With Update)

Well, in any case you may want to reconsider your trip after reading this.

- On the other hand, I don't blame you for wanting to get a little sun.

(Update - A reader informs me the meeting will be in Ottawa. Well, that should help reduce his carbon footprint.)

* * * *

Big Update: Liberal MP calls for probe into 'leaked' report on jailed Canadian. That would be this.

McTeague calls it a 'privacy' issue. The real problem likely is that he doesn't think references to beauty pageants, fries and soda are going to win her much sympathy.

So who's being conned now?

When is CP going to correct the bribe story?

On Monday the Canadian Press released a story stating that Alyn Waage said that Brenda Martin advised him by letter of a demand by Mexican officials for $500,000 to be able to get out of prison.

Funny thing is, it's not true according to Brenda Martin herself who supposedly told Charles Rusnell, who then mentioned it on Tuesday's Charles Adler show.

You can hear it yourself by checking out CJOB's audio vault, and selecting Tuesday, March 25 at around the 1:40 p.m. mark. (H/T Orville who's been right on top of this story, and Peter 12 in comments at DMB)

Rusnell clearly says on the tape that Brenda told him that she has never been asked directly to pay a bribe... That it doesn't work that way anyhow - it's all done through a law firm.

So there may be a nuance of truth somewhere along the line, but the con man's version of the story is shaky at best. So where's the update, CP?

Meanwhile, a couple of MP's are still perplexed by the $500,000 bribe allegation.

Why is it so hard to get the facts, and why weren't Waage's allegations verified before the story was released?

If I wanted fiction, I'd have bought a novel.

* * * *

Thursday Update: H/T to reader Lee for this one - Officials kept contact with imprisoned Canadian.

Updating the Brenda Martin spin-cycle

There is just no end to the complexities of the Brenda Martin story, and half the problem is trying to sort out the fact from the fiction.

Last night on CTV's The National they played up some breaking news about having gained access to some kind of bank records showing Brenda Martin's 'investment' and a sum of nearly that amount refunded back to her afterwards by Alyn Waage.

I have to ask myself, so what?

Waage has allegedly declared that Brenda wouldn't be released until a bribe was paid, but Orville at Dust My Broom has confirmation that Brenda denies this.

Charles Rusnell reports that Martin supporters say that Mexico could simply expel Martin, but the CTV story said no - that the Mexican authorities say it's too late for that.

So where does the truth lie?


Claire Hoy probably has the best take on this to date:

...But there comes a point - at least for me - where the constant carping and the serial whining about your plight changes from legitimate concerns to an annoying sense of absolute entitlement.

Let's look at the reality here. The main reason her case has dragged on for two years is because she has complicated it, turning it into a constitutional matter before the Mexican courts. That takes time there just as it would here.

And while there is much screaming in Ottawa - where the Liberals, wouldn't you know, are trying to blame the government for Martin's plight - the fact is that a two-year wait for a trial is not unusual in Canada, either. Indeed, two years is considered rather swift in legal circles, particularly when it involves serious and/or complicated matters.

Yet we as Canadians, or at least many of us - along with most of the media - have recently adopted the position that if a Canadian is in jail outside the country there's automatically an injustice being done - to the Canadian.

Meanwhile, MP Rick Norlock gives us his side of the story, saying that it may be a matter of only weeks rather than months before this is resolved. So progress is being made - just not fast enough for Brenda or the opposition parties.

I sincerely hope that once Brenda Martin is back on Canadian soil that she shows some kind of gratitude for the efforts being made on her behalf.

And I look forward to hearing the true story someday.

The 'Save Brenda / Slam the Feds'-fest continues

According to CP, Brenda Martin is outraged that Conservative MP Helena Guergis 'partied' while Ms. Martin was "languishing" in her Mexican prison cell.

Jason Kenney is quoted in the Chronicle Herald report with a possible explanation:

Martin's criminal case was put on hold for two months until a Mexican judge ruled on a constitutional challenge raised by her lawyer.

Conservative MP Jason Kenney last week told The Canadian Press that Guergis couldn't do much until the judge ruled on the court challenge.

``It was really a bit of a moot question at that point,'' Kenney said.

Well, I'm no legal expert, so it's hard for me to make a judgment on the situation. A bit of moral support couldn't have hurt though.

In any case Jason Kenney's recent visit has apparently escaped the minds of the Brenda supporters who have set up a website dedicated to her release. - Former PM Paul Martin is the only politician mentioned on the front page as having visited her:

...Recently, Brenda has been on suicide watch, having been removed from the general prison population several times now. There has been extensive national media coverage on Brenda, who has been emotionally supported by her childhood friend Debra Tieleman. The Government of Canada has failed to act in intervening in this case, despite pleas from citizens around Canada, opposition MPs, Brenda’s mother and Brenda herself. Recently, Brenda was visited by former Prime Minister Paul Martin in prison to offer support.

Brenda feels that if she is not helped now, with the support of the Canadian Government, she feels she will perish in prison...

However, Brenda Martin herself now seems to be fearing a backlash from the Boycott Mexico bandwagon which some over-zealous MP's had considered mounting.


Just a small suggestion here, but my feeling is that Brenda Martin would garner a lot more support if she and her cheerleaders attempted to tone down the partisan attacks just a tad. By trying to shame the government, they've actually ended up alienating a large segment of Canadian sympathy.

Let's hear the facts. Let's try to stay focussed and rational.

But partisan sniping is going to come back to bite the opposition, and perhaps even Brenda Martin herself.

* * * *

Update: Mexican officials asked for $500K to free Brenda Martin, says her former boss - 570 News:

...Alyn Waage, who is in a U.S. prison over an Internet scam, says Martin told him of the demand in a letter.

He says it's unlikely Mexican authorities will release Martin from the Puente Grande women's prison near Guadalajara until he pays up...

Arthur Weinreb - Calls to boycott Mexico - a couple of years too late.

Calgary Herald - Martin snared in bribe-stained justice system: Waage.

It just gets more and more convoluted.

The Politic - Brenda Martin and Canadians detained abroad.


Tuesday Update: National Post - Mexico holding Martin over bribe: con man.

But Orville isn't buying it.

Second thoughts about the Brenda Martin case

Afternoon Update: Brenda Martin is now calling Tory MPs Jason Kenney and Rick Norlock's visit nothing more than a "dog-and-pony show."

Unbelievable!!! I guess being a politician means that you have to bite your tongue on occasion. Mine would be been severed by now.

Late afternoon update: Dion Slams Harper for inaction on Brenda Martin. Oh pull-eeze!

* * * *

Original post:

Last week I was one of the many people feeling outraged about the situation Brenda Martin finds herself in, and I was even asking if we should boycott Mexico. Now I'm starting to rethink that stance.

First of all, as many of my readers had pointed out, choosing to live in Mexico is different from going there for a one week all-inclusive.


Someone who works in 'legal realm' made this very pithy comment at the end of that post:

...I'm struggling in this case with supporting her outside of that, because it's not so cut and dried, and it brings up deeper issues for me with what I think are MORE important concerns regarding Mexico and problems that ACTUAL, "living here" Canadian citizens have had to contend with. And they WERE innocent, without any doubt - I don't believe that all of a sudden HER situation, her threats of suicide if the country doesn't step in, are deserving of Canadian interference, any quicker, or before these decent people receive assistance...


One of your bloggers said "Bottom line, when you travel to another country you have to be prepared to deal with their system, their way. Accept it or stay home" - Another said, "when you live or visit in a foreign country you fall under their laws and justice system. The same as foreign nations fall under ours" Well, she chose to go there. To LIVE there. To me, in chosing what she did, she also chose their government, their laws and their way of life...Like it or not, that also includes their justice system!

Exactly.


Furthermore, this seems to have been played up lately by the media, opposition, and even by Ms. Martin and her supporters as an opportunity for some Harper-bashing.

Nothing is good enough for Brenda Martin (Martin must stand trial):

...During the meeting at the Guadalajara women's prison, Martin said, Kenney also told her that if she is returned to Canada, she will have to serve at least half her sentence in a Canadian prison.

"I told him . . . I am not going back to Canada to go to prison," Martin said...

...Martin said Kenney and the Canadian government have been ineffectual...

In fact, the Post quotes her as saying, "I think they have done nothing, basically..."


Clearly she is working towards shaming the Canadian Government into action, but my impression is that they are doing everything they can, short of abducting her from prison.

If it were me in that situation, I think I'd be trying to go along with the plan, and cling onto that hope of at least getting out of Mexico no matter what the consequences in Canada. I also think that for someone that 'weak' and 'suicidal', she seems to have great presence of mind in her ability to condemn her own country's government.

Sorry if I seem heartless and have offended anyone here, but that's how I'm feeling about it. The Canadian government needs to be doing everything it can, but in the end Brenda Martin chose to live and work in Mexico, and she must have known full well of the primitive and slow-moving legal system there.

It is neither possible nor realistic to expect the Canadian Government to guarantee our Charter Rights in other countries.

* * * *

Update: Welcome Jack's Newswatch readers! - (Daily Blogger)

Welcome also to SDA readers! My hits are suddenly going into the stratosphere!!!


I think I may have just found a new favourite blog via one of Kate's readers. Sheila had this very interesting comment at SDA (2:57 p.m.):

I live near Ms. Martin's hometown of Trenton, and we get regular coverage of this in the press.

My thoughts are always, what in the world did she expect going to live in Mexico? I feel sorry for her, but she lost jobs because she drank too much. She left her family. She surrounded herself with unsavory characters. And then she blames everybody else when her life goes horribly wrong...

It's called consequences, folks.

Time for Canadians to boycott Mexico

I've been watching this Brenda Martin situation with a mixture of confusion, outrage and sympathy for the 51 year old Canadian woman who has been stuck in a Mexican jail for two years, and is now on suicide watch. She has been denied rights that we take for granted in Canada such as a timely trial and not being locked up with convicted criminals while awaiting it (for over two years).

Martin has been charged but not convicted with 'money-laundering', according to Helena Guergis who was interviewed yesterday on MDL. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade said that Canada doesn't have control over the legal process in a foreign country, although she assures us she is doing everything she can behind the scenes.

Of course, Dan McTeague is taking advantage of the situation to rip into the Government's seeming lack of action (Ivison - It's 'buyer beware going to Mexico):

Both Dan McTeague, the Liberal MP who performed the role of "point man" for Canadians in trouble abroad for the Paul Martin government, and NDP critic Paul Dewar are scathing about Ms. Guergis's performance--criticism that goes far beyond the usual partisan carping.

"This is a so-called Secretary of State who is given to condescending remarks and running away from cameras when she is asked to explain herself," Mr. McTeague said. "She didn't go to the prison when she was only 18 minutes away to see a woman who's been mistreated by a judicial system as random as the weather."

Ms. Guergis cannot be blamed for the Mexican justice system. In fact, the federal government states in large, bold letters on its Web site: "Under Mexican law, you are considered guilty until proven innocent."

But Canadians have a right to expect the government to go to the wall for them if there is a miscarriage of justice as blatant as in the Brenda Martin case.

"Is the government saying that when you go to Mexico 'buyer beware -- we can't help you there?' " asked Mr. Dewar. "I'm not sure I would book a flight to Mexico tomorrow."

Both Ivison and the Post editorial board (Try Brenda Martin or let her go) appear to be advocating for the Prime Minister to step in now.

I'm not going to take a stand on that one since I don't know all the diplomatic machinations that would surround such a move, but I do agree with the Post editorial on this point:

Ordinary Canadians can act, too, by boycotting Mexico as a tourist destination. Ms. Martin's mistreatment -- along with the suspicious deaths of six Canadians in Mexico in the past two years -- makes Mexico an unsafe place for tourists.

Support Brenda Martin by refusing to vacation in Mexico. It will become even more difficult to resist the 'great deal' of an all-inclusive dirt-cheap vacation if prices go down even further, but it's time to take a stand.

Whether innocent or guilty, she is a Canadian and as such deserves our support for justice.

* * * *

Update: Joe Warmington weighs in here:

...A court ruling yesterday that will ensure more time in that Guadalajara prison has her loved ones frantic. While CTV's Mike Duffy hinted last night more "muscle" might be coming from federal officials, officially the government of Canada indicated there really is very little it can do. "It's not appropriate to suggest a politician can influence a judge in another country," Helena Guergis, Canada's secretary of state for foreign affairs, said in an interview with Sun Media last night. "Believe me, if I could go down there and take her home I would..."

National Post - Ottawa sends diplomatic note over woman's imprisonment.

Wednesday Update: Peter MacKay on MDL - You cannot take your Charter rights with you when you leave Canada. The Mexican justice system won't tolerate political interference.