By John Weston After three-and-a-half years of unjustified imprisonment in a Mexican prison, Pavel Kulisek walked free on Tuesday, August 16, cleared absolutely of all charges against him.
He arrived at Vancouver International Airport just before noon on Thursday, August 18. Happily and graciously, the media and his large community of well wishers spared him and his wife Jirina some solitude. A few hours later, the media became involved and three television networks broadcast the story that evening.
By coincidence that same evening, I was going through some old documents of my late mother and father and their relevance to Pavel’s case could not have been more poignant. My dad, Stan Weston, had suffered horribly as a Japanese prisoner in World War II. Two cables were sent soon after the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, one from dad’s brother David, expressing the hope that “all would be well,” and one from my dad with a similar naïve wish. More triumphant was the September 1945 cable announcing from the Colonial Office in London to my mother, then still my dad’s fiancée, that “Federated Malay Straits Volunteer Forces [FMSVF] Gunner number 13785 Stanley Weston” would be coming home. Mom and dad were married directly after his release from captivity and they made the most of their remaining precious years together.
Freedom is a precious thing. Like most precious things, we take it for granted when we have it. Only when we lose it do we cherish it properly.
Pavel was gracious on Thursday to meet with or call some of the key people who helped him while in captivity, including his wonderful family doctor and primary advocate, Ramona Penner, and Bob Kelly, my good friend and former boss, who worked closely with our wonderful consular staff. Canada’s Ambassador to Mexico, Guillermo “Gil” E. Rishchynski was a formidable and relentless ally and friend to Pavel, working closely with his Mexican counterparts, and with Pavel’s advocates. I met some of those consular members and worked closely with Ramona as well as with Kelly. Canada announced only a few days ago that Rishchynski will soon take up the position of Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, a fitting promotion for his fine work.
I would like to express my appreciation to all of my colleagues in the government, including Minister John Baird, Minister Diane Ablonczy, MP Andrew Saxton, and all others who worked on the case.
As much as I knew of the commitment of this wonderful team of people, Pavel’s grace still stood out—so soon after his release did he call people to thank them for their work. Most persons wrongly imprisoned harbour more anger than gratitude when they are released.
Just as my father accomplished much on release from captivity in 1945, Pavel has also accomplished much by surviving his ordeal and showing that his grace and gratitude could, and will, transcend his anger.
John Weston is the Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
