Friday, December 29, 2006

Conservatives Playing Political Games

While a Canadian citizen sits in a US jail cell, we find the Conservative government playing politics with her case.

According to Canada's Justice Department officials, they have sixty days to submit an application to extradite Myriam Bédard from the United States, and they are going to take their sweet time:

...Bédard was arrested until the week of Feb. 19 — to file a formal extradition request. That is not likely to happen until February, Justice Department spokesman Chris Girouard told CBC News.

"We have 60 days to provide our submission and we will most likely take those 60 days to make our submission," he said.


You were fast enough to issue the arrest warrant that she was picked up on, now there's no hurry? Right. Why do I get the feeling that the Conservative government is playing a little "punishment before guilt" game here?

Bédard is charged with child abduction for taking her child to the United States - apparently without permission from her ex-husband. Remember, those are, at this time, charges - not convictions. So in the meantime, Ministers Toews (Justice) and Mackay (Foreign Affairs) are content to let a citizen sit in a foreign prison while they twiddle their thumbs.

Again, we see just how much the Conservatives care about Canadian citizens abroad. Just like Mr. Celil earlier this year, we see a case where a Canadian citizen is being held in foreign prisons, and our government does nothing.

Whatever is going on between Bedard and her ex-husband is likely filled with an amazing amount of innuendo and "he said/she said" allegations being thrown about. Leaving one of them sitting in a jail cell for 2 months or so is ridiculous. (Especially given the seriousness of the charges involved)

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