TTSOML #214: Requests For Right to Call Attorney Refused

I was told no lawyer was available over the weekend. I was also told I had to sit in jail during this time, because immigration offices were closed and they wouldn't process what was going on with me until Monday.

I didn't see Russ Radi again until after the weekend.

I repeatedly asked to make a call to a lawyer on Monday and the guards, the RCMP ones, all said they had orders from immigration to not allow me to make any calls.

I had a legal right to a phone call to a lawyer, but Canadian authorities in charge of my case didn't want me to get in touch with the lawyer who had given me legal advice.

I then said I wanted to speak to someone from the U.S. embassy in Canada, immediately, and they refused me this too.

Russ Radi was lingering about for some time, but never came to my cell. While I was in my cell, I don't know if they had cameras to record me or not, but I almost hope they did, because I started rattling off some hilarious and genuinely inspired songs about Russ Radi, the "tidy whitey immigration guy". I also sang an impromtu spiritual with the title, "money makes the world go around (if you don't have money, get down)". I really, really, wish I'd been able to tape record myself, because it was some funny and inspired stuff. Very creative. I don't think Russ Radi liked it very much. For one thing, it wasn't stupid stuff. It was very witty and quite good. Intelligence kills.

I also sang Chain of Fools more than once. After repeatedly asking to speak to Radi, and to call a lawyer, and being refused a call for almost an entire day, I started singing "America the Beautiful", which was somewhat tongue in cheek, but I figured if he was at all afraid of what he was doing, by refusing me basic civil and international legal rights, I thought I could remind him of what country I came from. In the middle of this song, or towards the end, he suddenly told the guards to let me out.

I thought it was to let me make a phone call.

But noooo...they announced they had orders to transport me by AIRPLANE, to Vancouver, B.C., to immigration detention camp where there would be a hearing.

I said I was NOT going ANYWHERE until I was allowed to make a phone call to a lawyer first. They knew which lawyer I wanted to call. They said Radi said I could talk to a lawyer at immigration and I said I wanted to talk to the lawyer I KNEW, not their "state-appointed lawyers" (who basically worked for Canada and no one else--they weren't on the side of the immigrants, that's for sure).

So then, they said they'd have to talk to Radi again. I was told I could make a call but I only had 10 minutes to do so.

When I tried, I was cut off. I called and was getting through but someone cut me off before I could connect or leave a message. I got the lawyers answering machine and he said he had hours which weren't on Monday. So I was trying to leave a message and someone hung the phone up on me and disconnected me.

I stepped out and said I had been disconnected and I needed to call again. So I tried calling again and left a message. I was trying to leave a message when they were knocking on the door, telling me we were leaving RIGHT then.

No one ever had any intention of allowing me to contact an attorney.

They already had it all worked out, how they were going to railroad me.

They put handcuffs on me, as if I were a violent criminal, and forced me to walk with guards. Then they put me into a car with an RCMP guy.

Most of the RCMP guys at the jail looked very perplexed and concerned about everything. They wondered why such a big deal was being made out of ME. They also knew what Radi was ordering was illegal. I was supposed to have a phone call and other rights I was refused.

So then I get into the car with this other RCMP guy and he tells me he knows something is up. He said something wasn't right, and he wanted me to tell him what was going on, as quickly as I could, as he took me to the airport. He said I only had so many minutes. He said this whole thing involving me was very suspicious and why was I being singled out as if I were a terrorist or a wanted killer. He asked me if there was a warrant out for my arrest, and said it was highly unusual that anyone in Canada would care if I was a mother trying to leave with my son. He said people who are confirmed criminals were able to come to Canada and go underground for 15 years, and no one cared that much or made a big deal about it. But he said with me, I was clearly being treated differently.