Ottawa women thrown in Mexico jail for 2 years, because boss is criminal

[Phanuthier]

Hopefully not a fata http://www.nationalpost.com/most_pop...html?id=366097

Thought this was surprising.

A part of an article,

Ms. Martin, 51 <snip> has been in jail awaiting trial for two years and two months in Guadalajara -- for the first 18 months without any official contact from anyone at Canada's consulate in the city.

Her "crime" was that she worked as a chef for a convicted fraudster, Alyn Waage, who bilked investors worldwide out of about $60-million. He bribed his way out of Mexico and is currently serving a 10-year sentence in an American prison. While in Waage's employ, Ms. Martin argued with her former boss and was given a one-year severance package of $28,000.

...

The political blame for this disgrace lands squarely at the feet of the

In January, <Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Helena Guergis> travelled to Mexico and met with that country's attorney-general, foreign minister and other officials and asked for Ms. Martin's legal proceedings to be expedited. Despite being 20 minutes from Ms. Martin's prison cell, she did not visit her. "That's not my job. There are 13 Canadians in Mexican jails and if I visit one, I have to visit them all," she said in an interview last night. "It's not my job to meet them -- it's my job to advocate for them."


I love politicians. (PS: Yes I do vote in national elections)

[Ford Prefect]

I've been following this one for a while. Her former boss has testified that she know nothing of his crimes. I don't think she's even been charged with anything yet by Mexican authorities, but they continue to hold her in prison.

And ya, our government has a pretty spotty record for looking after the interests of Canadian citizens who run into problems abroad. Certainly some people legitimately get into legal trouble abroad, but this particular case sounds pretty iffy.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

I've been following this one for a while. Her former boss has testified that she know nothing of his crimes. I don't think she's even been charged with anything yet by Mexican authorities, but they continue to hold her in prison.

I just heard about it (seriously, I feel like I live in a bubble sometimes; I read some google headlines each day on my iGoogle) and after fishing around, it looks like she hasn't had a trial date yet (26 months).

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

And ya, our government has a pretty spotty record for looking after the interests of Canadian citizens who run into problems abroad. Certainly some people legitimately get into legal trouble abroad, but this particular case sounds pretty iffy.

I used to be somewhat active in Amnesty International back in high school - yeah, we suck. Maybe I shouldn't go to Bosnia this spring. I wondered onto Turkey terrotory in Cyprus last year (Nicosia) before I got cold feet and went back into Cyprus terrotory, thats probably the closet I've been to a war situation aside form possibly Cambodia about 2 months ago.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I just heard about it (seriously, I feel like I live in a bubble sometimes ... (

No worries ... I miss a lot of stuff too. The Herald has been following this story, which is where I heard about it.

[jamesteterenko]

I only heard about this story today, but does not surprise me at all. I was in Mexico earlier this month, and I heard a number of stories similar to this. The legal system assumes guilt until proven innocent. It is also quite easy to pay off people in power, which just makes it more warped in terms of who is in jail and who is not.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by jamesteterenko

I only heard about this story today, but does not surprise me at all. I was in Mexico earlier this month, and I heard a number of stories similar to this. The legal system assumes guilt until proven innocent. It is also quite easy to pay off people in power, which just makes it more warped in terms of who is in jail and who is not.

I think what bothers me so much about this is how useless our federal politician are. I mean, I accept that taxes will be wasted and have generally lived under the principal that you should never rely on the government to take care of you but this is quite disturbing, especially SoS Guergis not paying the prisoner a visit even though she's 20 minutes away. I can live with the fact that taxes will be collected and spent, probably in scandals and inappropriately and I'm fine with that. But to me, foreign affairs is one of the biggest concerns where the feds have to have their house in order. I mean seriously, Guergis & Harper are a joke. Useless.

In Canada, more then any other country, I think we are more naive and take how safe Canada is for granted. I hope anyone who travels overseas realizes this.

[jamesteterenko]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I think what bothers me so much about this is how useless our federal politician are. I mean, I accept that taxes will be wasted and have generally lived under the principal that you should never rely on the government to take care of you but this is quite disturbing, especially SoS Guergis not paying the prisoner a visit even though she's 20 minutes away. I can live with the fact that taxes will be collected and spent, probably in scandals and inappropriately and I'm fine with that. But to me, foreign affairs is one of the biggest concerns where the feds have to have their house in order. I mean seriously, Guergis & Harper are a joke. Useless.

In Canada, more then any other country, I think we are more naive and take how safe Canada is for granted. I hope anyone who travels overseas realizes this.

I wouldn't blame this situations on Canadian politicians. I agree that Guergis should have visited Martin. However, that wouldn't help get her out of prison. The issue is the Mexican legal system and the Mexican politicians.

And I agree 100% with your second paragraph.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by jamesteterenko

I wouldn't blame this situations on Canadian politicians. I agree that Guergis should have visited Martin. However, that wouldn't help get her out of prison. The issue is the Mexican legal system and the Mexican politicians.

And I agree 100% with your second paragraph.

I saw in my digging that the Ms Martin's lawyer (?) was requesting PM Harper to ask him to raise the threat level for Mexico due to this incident, but PM Harper didn't want to make waves. I think that would be a baby step in the right direction, and they arn't even willing to do that. Seriously, whats it going to take? Someone terrorizing Paul Martin's ship company in Panama?

That is what I have a problem with. Grow some balls, Canadian politicans. We sent hundreads of tourests down to Mexico to keep their economy on life support; I realize there is that whole Canadians-falling-off-balcony's things going on, but this really bothers me because a women is suffering down there for a crime she did not commit. That could be any of us right there - she did no wrong, she's just an average traveller like you or me going to a very well-travelled country that I'm sure most Canadians have gone to in the past 5 years.

[jamesteterenko]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I saw in my digging that the Ms Martin's lawyer (?) was requesting PM Harper to ask him to raise the threat level for Mexico due to this incident, but PM Harper didn't want to make waves. I think that would be a baby step in the right direction, and they arn't even willing to do that. Seriously, whats it going to take? Someone terrorizing Paul Martin's ship company in Panama?

That is what I have a problem with. Grow some balls, Canadian politicans. We sent hundreads of tourests down to Mexico to keep their economy on life support; I realize there is that whole Canadians-falling-off-balcony's things going on, but this really bothers me because a women is suffering down there for a crime she did not commit. That could be any of us right there - she did no wrong, she's just an average traveller like you or me going to a very well-travelled country that I'm sure most Canadians have gone to in the past 5 years.

I agree that she did no wrong and should be free, given the information I have seen. But I wouldn't want to see the government raise the threat-level because one person gets into trouble after she chooses to live in another country and ends up working for a criminal. It isn't fair to compare her with an average tourist. If someone innocently starts working for a multi-million dollar mobster in Canada or the US, they could end up in significant trouble here as well if they were to leave on bad terms.

On the other hand, I would support raising the threat level to Mexico. The reason why, is that this type of thing is commonplace. As an example, check this out. I had lunch with the man in the picture the day that picture was taken. He didn't have blood on his shirt nor the gash in his forehead at lunchtime.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

"That's not my job. There are 13 Canadians in Mexican jails and if I visit one, I have to visit them all," she said in an interview last night. "It's not my job to meet them -- it's my job to advocate for them."

only 13 and you couldn't fit them into your schedule? Some ones sense of self importance is just a little to high. This broad could use a good bitch slap. Knock her down a peg or 2. Further more, if they've actually been tried for a crime and convicted i think you can scratch em off that list. So whats that leave? 1 maybe 2?

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Dan02

only 13 and you couldn't fit them into your schedule? Some ones sense of self importance is just a little to high. This broad could use a good bitch slap. Knock her down a peg or 2. Further more, if they've actually been tried for a crime and convicted i think you can scratch em off that list. So whats that leave? 1 maybe 2?

I don't really see the issue as Guergis not visiting Martin, I think the issue is more that Martin is in prison. Visiting her and bringing her a few magazines won't get her out any faster. Canada doesn't generally force other countries to return arrested Canadians. I'm pretty sure its Canadian policy, where possible, to allow local legal systems to handle the situation (rightly or wrongly). If you've got a beef it's more likely with Canadian policy in general regarding Canadians in prison abroad.

I'm not sure if the 'broad' needs to be 'bitch slapped'... classy comment though.

[Ozy_Flame]

Wow, 13 Canadians in Mexican jails? I can't imagine how many there are in probably the US, Europe and Asia for various crimes.

Then again, I think a strong portion of them are dual citizen holders as well.

[Muta]

I remember I time when I was in Puerto Vallarta in 2005, and was there for Spring Break. Buddy from our hotel was walking down the beach and popped a Tylenol because he had a headache. Cops came by, TOLD him that he was poppin' ecstasy, beat him a couple times with nightsticks, then threw him in jail. Bunch of us had to each pitch in money (total of $500 Cdn) to bribe the cops and get him out of jail the next morning.

With a system like that, Mexico will never take the next step in internaional development. Just too corrupt. Countries like that have ALOT to learn.