March 13, 2008

Dear Ms. Marleau,

I am writing to express my outrage that Canadian citizen Brenda Martin is still being held in a Mexican jail.

The number of suspicious deaths and other incidents that have occurred to Canadian citizens while vacationing in Mexico in the last five years, and now this situation, would indicate that the Canadian government should be issuing travel advisories to its citizens. Mexico is NOT a safe country to visit, or to work in.

Perhaps the Mexican government will move a little faster in its judicial affairs, once Canadians stop bringing Mexico Canadian dollars.

I urge you to get a warning posted on the Foreign Affairs & International Trade Canada website that clearly indicates to Canadians that their own country will not be able to help them, should they find themselves unjustly incarcerated in a Mexican jail.

Currently that website, under the entry for Mexico: Warnings and Recommendations reads " There is no Official Warning for this country."
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=184000

Yet, the next entry indicates that Canadians travelling to Mexico should excercise a high degree of caution. At the very least, that warning should be bumped up to "Avoid non-essential travel."

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Your efforts in trying to obtain a passport office in Sudbury are much appreciated.

Yours truly,

Lynne Monk.
Lively, ON