Blue Like You

No, apparently not. This morning’s Record updates us on the latest problems and plans of our self-imposed Canadian heroine.

She still has trouble sleeping, because of all those horrible memories of her ordeal in the Mexican jail. We also learn that her Canadian prison mates were less than charming:

Martin’s notoriety was not lost on some of the inmates at Grand Valley, who made her feel she was "in more danger than in Mexico," she said.

The prison allowed her mother to visit the day after she arrived — a departure from regular policy, Tieleman said.

"You can’t blame them," she said of the animosity toward Martin.

"It’s a difficult situation you’re living in and she came back with this, for lack of a better word, celebrity status. "

More abuse. Poor woman. How will she ever get over it?

Well, the article informs us that she is considering a book or movie to facilitate the emotional catharsis. No doubt that would also help ease her financial situation which must seem like a Liberal leadership candidate’s millstone :

…A fundraiser is being planned for Martin and will likely be held in Kitchener in July, said Graham, the former executive director of the Blues, Brews and Barbeques festival. Money raised will go toward the $100,000 worth of legal fees and expenses Martin still owes. Clearing those debts will be one final way to put the events of the past two years behind her, Martin said. "It belongs to that same stage in my life," she said. "I really want to put that all away."

If Brenda can promise that we’ll never hear about this again, I’ll make a donation myself. But somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen.

…Both Martin and Tieleman expressed an interest in reaching out to other Canadians in foreign jails and pushing reform in consular services.

"The real legacy that has to happen with this is that it never happens to another Canadian," Tieleman said…

You’ve got that much right, Deb. We can’t afford it.

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Totally unrelated : A few technical adjustments going on here behind the scenes today, so Comment Moderation is on. I hope to be able to check comments later on. Thanks for your patience.

Memo to Canadian taxpayers!! Keep your wallets open (CTV ):

Paula Todd: …So have you ruled out any sort of legal action against the Federal Government?"

BM: "…I never would say that I’ve ruled out anything in the future. Everything changes day to day.."

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Update : Neo’s got his own take on things…

And Tony weighs in here .

This almost feels anti-climatic but I suppose we should finish up the Brenda Martin saga by mentioning that she has apparently been granted parole. (H/T to Mary T in the previous thread).

I caught a brief clip on CBC, where it was reported that she will have a few conditions attached to her parole, including a full disclosure of her financial affairs. However, I’m sure she will be pleased to be able to get home for Mothers’ Day.

I’m going to conclude by wishing her the very best in her future endeavours, and may we please never hear from her again.

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Update : CTV has the story here . And please check out the comments.

Saturday Update : Brenda Martin paroled - Record .

As Brenda Martin is happily tucked away in her cottage at Grand Valley Institution for Women , we can all rest easy knowing that she has her beloved peanut butter and is receiving lots of medical care courtesy of Canadian taxpayers. Brenda’s co-accused Rebecca Roth sure isn’t getting this kind of treatment.

And in case you missed it, a little seven-year-old girl from Montreal was so moved by all the media attention given Brenda Martin, that she felt compelled to write a song, which you can hear here , courtesy of the Edmonton Journal. Kinda gives ya goosebumps, doesn’t it? Or nausea.

So, exactly what was the cost of Brenda’s little mercy flight from Mexico to Kitchener? CBC pegs it at $82,787 .

- And the sounds of silence as Brenda Martin munches on peanut butter cups? - Priceless .

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Update : Don’t read this post by Dr. Roy if you’re prone to high-blood pressure.

Have we been had?

Neo links to this morning’s Globe article, Parole Board won’t consider Martin’s guilt :

…According to the 110-page verdict, the judge found Ms. Martin guilty of depositing and transferring illicit funds. Between March and August of 2001, she received nearly $60,000 in Canadian funds in her Mexican bank account, and about $3,000 of it was transferred from the Latvian bank account of one of Mr. Waage’s shell companies. Most of the money – $38,700 – was transferred by Ms. Martin from another account in her name.

Ms. Martin also received a $15,000 transfer from Keith Nordick, a Saskatchewan man living in Puerto Vallarta who was Mr. Waage’s right-hand man in the scheme.Mr. Nordick pleaded guilty in a California court to fraud and money laundering in 2005.

Ms. Martin also transferred $16,000 from her bank account to Mr. Waage’s sister, Lynn Johnston. Ms. Johnston is wanted on fraud charges, but has never been apprehended…

But apparently all the Parole Board needs to concern itself with is whether or not Brenda Martin could post a threat to others.

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Update - And under the heading, Can’t win for losing , we have these editorials:

Maybe Ottawa only likes some of us - Thomas Walkom (Star)

What about the other 1,750 jailed Canadians? - Record

Travellers must be wise to the laws - Lorrie Goldstein (Sun) (A somewhat more balanced approach)

It gets worse! - Brenda Martin’s supporters urge Ottawa to grant speedy release (Record):

Brenda Martin will likely remain behind the razor-wired perimeter of Grand Valley Institution for Women for a few more days.

However, supporters of the 51-year-old Trenton native, who spent the past two years in a Mexican prison, are urging the federal government to move quickly toward granting her freedom.

"I don’t see why they have to keep her in for one more minute," lawyer Edward Greenspan said in a phone interview yesterday. "We’re waiting for them to do the right thing …

Hey! Whose paying his salary, BTW??

And now get this:

…Macklin said he believed it was clear Martin will remain in custody for a few days.

"It’ll likely take some time before she ultimately is able to be what you’d call fully recovered," he said, adding that it’s good she will receive the medical treatment she needs while she is in prison.

Once Martin is released, she would have to wait 90 days before being eligible for free health care in Canada …

Get that? Free health care in prison! None if she’s out.

So, why is Greenspan talking about doing "the right thing"?

Sunday Update : Angelo Persichilli - Who are we to call Mexico ‘corrupt’?

Brenda’s on her way to Kitchener.

Update : She’s ba-a-a-a-ck .

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Friday Update : Brenda, was that actually a THANK-YOU , I heard? Via the Ottawa Citizen - "I am so grateful to be home", by Charles Rusnell:

The anger and bitterness that consumed Brenda Martin during more than two years in a Mexican prison disappeared the moment she landed on Canadian soil yesterday…

Ah, let’s hope so.

Brenda Martin has had way more than her 15 minutes of fame.

City News : Brenda could be released from jail Friday .

I could have predicted this one - Patience running out for tiresome Ms. Martin:

…Ms. Martin went to trial this month, no doubt after diplomatic arm-twisting from Canada. But even they couldn’t deliver the innocent verdict she sought. Guilty, declared a Mexican judge. Cue tears and more bitter fury at footdragging Canadian authorities, even while they cut a cheque to cover her $3,500 court fine.

Last week, the Harper government dispatched no-nonsense MP Jason Kenney to expedite her transfer back to Canada.

It’s a process than can take nine months if both sides agree, yet Ms. Martin could set a record for speedy departures if she’s released this week. Not good enough, fumed Ms. Martin after a meeting with two MPs, the Canadian ambassador and a few embassy officials. She wants a flight home now, wants to be spared the standard handcuffing while in transit and wants parole upon landing …

In my opinion there is only one thing the Canadian government is guilty of - doing too much for Brenda Martin.

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.

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.

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.