The family of Guy Gélinas, this Trifluvian stuck in Vietnam after an accident on March 3 that injured him, is tirelessly trying to get him out of the country to be treated in Quebec.
Legal proceedings are ongoing and the steps for his return are endless. His daughter, who went to help him with the paperwork, spends her days on the phone and emailing.
“We are at the end of our resources by this justice system, Vietnamese laws that are far from our reality, in Vietnamese!” said Katy Gélinas.
The longer the repatriation is delayed, the more Mr. Gélinas fears losing his foot due to the infection that has spread after the accident.
“We have no reason to believe that he is poorly cared for because he is in a hospital in a big city in Vietnam, the health systems make a lot of sense,” said Trois-Rivières Bloc MP René Villemure.
However, Mr Gélinas testifies to the contrary.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, to be treated in this hospital… At night the mice ran around on the desks, it’s disgusting!” he said.
Authorities are preventing him from leaving the country until July 16, when the investigation has to be completed.
According to an expert, Canada-Vietnam relations have improved a lot in recent years, especially in terms of transparency. However, procedures may take longer in some locations.
“If Mr. Gélinas is in an area far from urban networks, i.e. outside the cities of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, there is of course a higher risk that the authorities are less efficient or simply more corrupt,” explained the bachelor in politics Science on the Way of Honor, Jean-Xavier Bois.
“We’re moving on, we’re on file and as soon as we can bring the Lord back it’ll be done. I think so far [les autorités canadiennes] did everything they could do. If you come back with a police investigation, that’s still a big brake,” added Mr Villemure, who estimates things could change in ten days.