Canadian hostage in Iraq gets billed for expenses

[rw4th]

Pettigrew wants review after Yamulky complaints

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1100577494035_95986694/?hub=Canada

Yamulky said she had to pay for her emergency Canadian passport after
her release and was billed for travel arrangements made by the Canadian
Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

Yamulky was kidnapped in September, while working for a civilian
contractor company operating out of Baghdad. She was held for 16 days,
until she was able to convince one of her guards to help her escape.

She was picked up by an American marine unit in a Blackhawk helicopter.
She underwent medical tests and trauma counselling from a U.S. military
medical team and was put up in a general's apartment.

"Until now I haven't received any bill from the U.S. military for
that,'' she said.

This shit is shamefull to say the least  ???

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Why shameful?  These contractors get paid exorbitant amounts of money, and know they are going into a war zone.  Why should Canadian taxpayers have to bail them out?  They made their choice.  Next time, stay home.

It's like amateur skiiers who have to be rescued by helicopter cause they go off the trails despite the warning signs.  Individual responsibility is one of the freedoms that the US is fighting to preserve over there. 

 

[Gunner]

Michael, I agree with you.  Foriegn Affairs Canada has issued warnings to Canadians in Iraq and told them to leave the country.  In my mind, national responsibility ends and personal responsibility begins.

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=133000

Canadians should not travel to Iraq. Canadians in Iraq, including humanitarian aid workers, should leave. There is no Canadian Embassy in Iraq at this time, and the Government of Canada has an extremely limited capacity to provide assistance to Canadian citizens in distress in Iraq. Those who choose to remain despite this warning should maintain a high level of vigilance, avoid crowds and demonstrations, monitor local developments and news broadcasts, and review their security arrangements carefully.

 

[rw4th]

It's not a question of whether or not she can afford it. She's just spend 2 weeks+ in captivity under threat of being beheaded, manages to escape, get picked up by US forces, gets to Jordan, and some Canadian diplo-dork hands her a bill.

What is shameful is the fact is that after this whole ordeal the US treats her nicely, while the Canadian government treats her with what amounts to contempt by pointing the finger and saying â Å“we told you soâ ? while handing her a bill.

While I'm sure she isn't making anywhere near minimum wage working in Baghdad, as far as I'm concerned she's part of the solution, not the problem and the apparent contempt with which she was received is not suiting.

They could have just handed her a new passport; I would have been happy with that.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

While I'm sure she isn't making anywhere near minimum wage working in Baghdad, as far as I'm concerned she's part of the solution, not the problem and the apparent contempt with which she was received is not suiting.

That's a cop out until we know what her job was. She could have been an impoverished aid worker or an executive for a high priced oil company. We don't know. Just cause she was there doesn't make her Mother Theresa. Most people would just be thankful that the government played a role to get them out. But then some people just have to bleed the system and bellyache about everything to get noticed and get more free money.

I'm with the rest. I'm tired of my tax dollars going to take care of people whose last words are "Hey Bubba, watch this..."

 

[Gunner]

It's not a question of whether or not she can afford it. She's just spend 2 weeks+ in captivity under threat of being beheaded, manages to escape, get picked up by US forces, gets to Jordan, and some Canadian diplo-dork hands her a bill.

She spent two weeks in captivity after the Canadian Government told her to leave Iraq.  She was told that Iraq was a dangerous and unstable area. After disregarding all advice to the contrary (her choice) the Canadian taxpayer helped her out by having embassy services to assist her.  That "diplo-dork" was doing his/her job and I salute them for that.  

What is shameful is the fact is that after this whole ordeal the US treats her nicely, while the Canadian government treats her with what amounts to contempt by pointing the finger and saying â Å“we told you soâ ? while handing her a bill.

Why shameful?  Did the embassy turn her away?  Not help her in her time of need?  No, they assisted but Canadians are required to pay their bill once they are sorted out.  This isn't a new occurence and ever so often some "media-dork" tries to make a political issue of it.  I don't want my tax dollars going to pay for Canadians overseas that put themselves in harm's way after the government has told them to leave.  

While I'm sure she isn't making anywhere near minimum wage working in Baghdad, as far as I'm concerned she's part of the solution, not the problem and the apparent contempt with which she was received is not suiting.

Well, I don't necessarily disagree with you.  Iraq needs good people to rebuild the country, but I can't say anything I have seen says the embassy treated her with contempt.  She was assisted and allowed to go on her merry way.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Yamulky, 38, returned to Vancouver Friday,.......
She eventually saw her own doctor in Dubai. .....wish we all could afford a doctor in another country.
...".what do you mean I have to pay for something from canada?" :crybaby:

 

[beach_bum]

I have to agree with the general consensus here.  She was advised to leave, yet CHOSE to stay.  No one forced her to stay there.  She knew the risks, but decided to stay for the money.  I think the US military should send her a bill along with the one from the Canadian gov't. 

 

[scm77]

There was a similar situation with some Japanese hostages a while back.  Japans government warned all of it's citizens to get out/stay ouf Iraq.  The hostages got released and had to pay their way back.

 

[Torlyn]

The lady would have been charged $85 or less for her emergency passport.  As for her travel arrangements back, why shouldn't she have to pay?  If she went to a travel agency, she'd have to pay.  At this time, she was in Jordan, while not the nicest place in the world, so she (or her company) should have made her travel arrangements.  Why isnt' there an uproar for the company who sent her to pay?  Like the majority of the posters here, I don't think my tax dollars should pay for someone else's idiocy.

T

 

[rw4th]

Ok, I withdraw some of my righteous indignation, but not all of it. I did a bit more reading and from what I gather she was an executive for a company that operates out of Saudi Arabia. Given this information,  I agree about the fees. I'm sure that both she and her parent company have more then enough ressources to afford her a ticket back to Canada.

While they didn't deny her help, I still think the response from the Canadian government could have been a little bit less â Å“I told you soâ ?.

 

[CBH99]

I have to say that I agree:   Its shameful that we bill her for the expenses a government is supposed to provide.

I agree with the contrary too though, to an extent.   The Canadian government did warn its citizens about going to, or staying in, Iraq.   It flat out said it had a limited ability to help if the situation were to deteriorate, and that it recommended all Canadian citizens in Iraq to leave.

BUT, despite the warning, I don't believe the Canadian government should bill its citizens when they need help.   To work for an aid agency, trying to provide help to people who really need it, is a respectable job.   Even if the situation in the area is volatile and dangerous, aid workers work under shitty conditions trying to make the world a better place, even if just a little bit at a time.  

For an aid worker to get kidnapped, held against their will, threatened with death, and surely the most terrified they have ever been - to get rescued by foreign forces that rescue her, treat her medically and psychologically, put her up in a general's apartment until arrangements can be made, and fly her to a safe area, all because its the right thing to do.   Then, her OWN government, who didn't contribute to her rescue or respectable treatment afterwards, to hit her up for the cost of a passport and plane ticket?   Thats truly shameful on the government's part, in my opinion.

Something here that perhaps should be noticed, is the mindset of the two countries.   This same mindset was prevalent when a US warship assisted the HMCS Chicoutimi, helping tow her back to Scotland.   The United States didn't ask for any sort of financial compensation, and rather said "Some types of operations don't require monetary reimbursement".   The US warship spent a number of days helping HMCS Chicoutimi because it was the morally right thing to do, and didn't ask for any money for their actions.

This same mindset seems to be prevalent in terms of this issue.   US forces picked her up, treated her medically and psychologically, flew her out of the country, and put her up in a general's apartment until arrangements could be made for her return - because it was the right thing to do.   Because as soldiers, they're job - whether official or not - is to help people in need.   They did that.   Then, her own government, which didn't help out at all, has the nerves to charge her for a plane ticket and passport, both of which cost the government dick all.   Anybody else notice the HUGE contrast of generosity between the US government and the Canadian government?   IF ANYTHING, one would think it would be the foreign government asking for money for rescuing a citizen that wasn't their own, not the citizen's own government.  

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Right thing to do, or a good training scenario for their sailors, airmen and medics?  I think many commanders would be tickled to get real life training opportunities for their men....

 

[beach_bum]

I don't think she was in Iraq as an aid worker.  From what I recall (I could be wrong) she was there as the Finance person for a company based out of Saudi.

 

[Zoomie]

This same mindset was prevalent when a US warship assisted the HMCS Chicoutimi, helping tow her back to Scotland.   The United States didn't ask for any sort of financial compensation, and rather said "Some types of operations don't require monetary reimbursement".  

Unlike the Iraq incident, this was a bona-fide SAR response.  Under international law and agreements in place, every civilized country must make all efforts to effect a rescue and recovery of foreign nationals in distress.

Has anyone here ever dialled 911 and requested an ambulance.  Guess what you will receive from the Government by month's end?  A large bill for the ride - nothing in life is free my friends...

 

[enfield]

Wasn't the Royal Navy going to bill us for recovery (non-SAR/first aid/rescue) costs for towing our broken ship back to port? Saving the sailors was free, but the tub boat home wasn't.

If Foreign Affairs is supposed to pay for all of her costs, what about everyone else in the world who rocks up at an embassy needing help? The backpacker who shows up at the Bangkok embassy with no money, the tourist in Tanzania who had his stuff stolen, etc. ? I suspect that cases like this lady's are fairly common and embassies have long-established protoccols to deal with them. At the end of the day, Canada is not responsible to pay for services to its citizens outside of Canada (unless the Government sends them). They should of course do everything to help people, especially in life-threatening situations, but at the end of the day, someone has to pay the bill.

 

[Spr.Earl]

We are side tracking folk's

 

[CBH99]

I agree with your points to an extent.  Yeah, the guy in who-knows-where who loses all his stuff and goes to the embassy for help should eventually pay for it, and any sort of service of extraordinary convenience or necessity should eventually be paid back.

But we're not talking about calling 911 for an ambulance, for going to our embassy because we ran out of money.  We're talking about a Canadian citizen, aid worker or not, being kidnapped for weeks, and threatened with death.  We're also talking about a foreign country rescuing her, treating her, flying her out of the country, and providing accomodation until further arrangements can be made, and not asking a damn thing for it - because its the morally right thing to do.  Our government on the other hand, didn't do anything except send her a passport and a plane ticket, both of which cost them (I'm guessing) dick-all, yet they bill her?  Doesn't anybody else find it ironic that the foreign government that helped her and provided much more in terms of services and expenses doesn't bill her, yet her own government that did pretty much dick-all DOES bill her?

I respect both points, because I do agree with the contrary to an extent.  I agree that in some of the examples provided, someone DOES have to foot the bill, and it shouldn't always be the government.  But we're talking about a rather extraordinary situation, in which humanity and empathetic service should be prioritized above a damn bill.

 

[beach_bum]

How do you know the US military isn't going to bill the Canadian gov't?  It wouldn't surprise me at all, and so they should. 
I still maintain the "I told you so" feelings towards her situation.  If she hadn't been there to make money, after being told to leave....she never would have been kidnapped, threatened with death etc.  She knew the risks and ignored them.  Sounds like a personal problem to me.

 

[Bograt]

Its a 120.00 bucks. She should keep the receipt and claim it when she submits her travel expenses.   What is the problem?

Oh, I understand. This is Canada where she believes she has the "right" to be accomodated and does not have to be individually responsible.