Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime

$76G for rush translation

By Kathleen Harris, National Bureau Chief, Sun media

March 25, 2009

The federal government forked out nearly $76,000 for rush-order translation service for court sentencing documents for Brenda Martin.

Scrambling to get the Canadian detainee home from Mexico amid a high-profile public controversy last year, the Correctional Service of Canada paid a premium for the service, according to records obtained through an access-to-information request by Sun Media.

The file shows several departments, including Foreign Affairs, the RCMP and CSIS, working to expedite her transfer back to Canada.

CSC spokeswoman Lynn Brunette said sentencing documentation is sent in the language of the receiving country. When translation is not provided, CSC picks up the cost to ensure evaluations "are completed with accuracy."

"In this case, Mexico could not complete the translation in time for Correctional Service of Canada to process the application in order to ensure all criteria was met in the facilitating of Brenda Martin's transfer," she said.

Total costs to taxpayers for the Martin case are not known. The government also paid for a chartered plane to retrieve her from Mexico at a cost of $83,000 and put up a "repayable loan" for the fine Martin was levied as part of her sentence when she was found guilty of money laundering on April 18, 2008.

Foreign Affairs will not say if the $3,500 has been repaid because details about consular assistance to Canadians is protected information under the Privacy Act.

Heidi Illingworth, executive director of the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, said financial aid for Canadians convicted of crime abroad seems "unfair and inappropriate" compared to cash spent on victims and their families.