The federal government has loaned Brenda Martin $3,500 to pay a fine following her fraud conviction in Mexico -- a move that clears one more hurdle to her prisoner transfer to Canada.
Cabinet minister Jason Kenney, who visited Martin in prison near Guadalajara Friday, confirmed that the money was paid out of the Foreign Affairs department's distressed Canadian fund.
"We just need to move through a few last steps and I think that we'll be able to see Ms. Martin coming home to Canada quite soon," said Kenney, Canada's secretary of state for multiculturalism.
On Tuesday, a Mexican judge found Martin guilty of involvement with her former boss' Internet fraud scheme.
He sentenced the 51-year-old native of Trenton, Ont. to a minimum of five years in jail and fined her about $3,500.
She had spent two years in a Mexican prison before hearing her verdict.
"Ms. Martin continues to be very anxious and anguished about her situation," said Kenney. "That's totally understandable, anyone who has been through this can certainly understand her reaction.
"We just encouraged her to work with everyone that's trying to help her to bring her back home to Canada."
Further red tape
Kenney said Canadian officials are currently translating the court judgment into English. That will allow Correctional Service of Canada to make an assessment of the equivalent sentence in Canada to the one she received.
"That then forms the basis of an application from the minister of public safety, on behalf of Correctional Service of Canada, to his Mexican counterparts (to have Martin transferred to Canada)," said Kenney.
"They then make an assessment and either approve or reject that application, as does Ms. Martin."
Mexico has also agreed to waive a mandatory appeal period for convicted prisoners of five business days before the transfer process can begin.
Kenney said "all the ducks are lined up" for Martin to soon be transferred.
"It would be irresponsible for me to put a precise time line on that because it's impossible to predict exactly," he said.
Once Martin is back in Canada, Canadian parole rules apply. But her release will be up to the National Parole Board, said one official.
In Canada, a federal prisoner is eligible to apply for day parole after serving one-sixth of her sentence and full parole after serving one-third.
With files from The Canadian Press
