More Compassionate Conservatism - Harper Style

Like I should be surprised. CTV is reporting that Deputy Minister Helena Guergis went to Mexico in January to deal with the case of Ms. Martin - who has been held in Mexico for two years awaiting trial, and is rumored to be on the edge of emotional collapse.

Apparently the deputy minister decided that it would be a good idea to attend a cocktail party instead of actually trying to investigate Ms. Martin's situation and status:

But now some are wondering why Guergis opted to attend a reception in Guadalajara instead of visiting Martin at the Puente Grande women's prison, about 20 kilometres away.

Two attendees of the private function at the Camino Real Guadalajara hotel on Jan. 29 say Guergis arrived with Canada's ambassador to Mexico and local consular officials after 6 p.m.

About 20 Canadians were already there, said Dan McTavish, a retired Canadian living in Mexico.

"It was just a social gathering so that she could meet some of the retired Canadians living along the north shore of Lake Chapala,'' McTavish said.

"They provided hors d'oeuvres and drinks were served -- everything from soft drinks to anything you wanted, including a good bottle of Corona. It wasn't particularly fancy; it was very low-key, actually.''

Oh, isn't that nice - they put on a little soiree for the deputy minister.

Meanwhile, back at the prison, we learn the following:

Martin says it felt like ages.

She waited all day with close friend Debra Tieleman to hear from Guergis's aide, Axelle Pellerin, who accompanied the junior minister on the trip.

Early that morning, Pellerin sent Tieleman an e-mail, obtained by The Canadian Press, saying she and Guergis would arrive in Guadalajara at 2 p.m. and planned to stay for four hours.

"I have been told that there has been an extra meeting added to tomorrow afternoon,'' Pellerin wrote. "I will try to see how much time we have. I will at least try to arrange a phone call for you.''

Cellphone reception is spotty in the prison, so Tieleman left Martin around 4:30 p.m. to wait outside for Pellerin's call.

"Brenda called me and called me and called me and called me, saying 'Have you heard from them? Have you heard from them? What's going on?''' Tieleman said.

She said Pellerin e-mailed just after 6 p.m. saying she'd try to call "once we finish this one meeting.'' But Tieleman says she didn't hear from Pellerin until the next day.

So, not only was this soiree scheduled to follow a four hour visit with Martin at the prison, Guergis couldn't even both to show up!

Frankly, I don't care what Martin is charged with, the Harper government's conduct in this matter is yet another case study in a government that neither understands foreign affairs, nor do they give a damn about Canadians. The message here - if you are a Canadian travelling abroad, you're on your own. The HarperCon$ aren't interested in you, or the maltreatment you may receive at the hands of foreign governments.

Could this government get any more small-minded and mean-spirited without actually going out of its way?

The Canadian Taxpayers did NOT pay for Guergis to go to a cocktail party in Mexico. We paid for her trip to Mexico to engage in, and resolve a situation where a Canadian is being held under questionable circumstances. Did she do her job? NO. Instead of dealing with the matter at hand, she went to a "low key cocktail party" (well la de dah!). Not only should Guergis be fired, Canadians should, and must, fire Harper at the next election.