COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR HALLIDAY FAMILY

An outpouring of community support has kept Sheree Halliday and her
family going since learning Dec. 21 that her husband Philip was
arrested off the coast of Spain in connection with a cocaine seizure.

Halliday was among crewmembers of the Destiny Empress, a former
Canadian Coast Guard ship that police say was carrying 1.5 tonnes of
cocaine from Trinidad to Spain. The estimated value of the drugs was
more than $600 million.

Three weeks passed before Sheree Halliday was able to speak with her
husband who was admitted to a hospital after the arrest due to
gallstones. He has since been transported to a prison, about 609
kilometres northwest of Madrid.

"He's on a waiting list for surgery of approximately two months,
"said Sheree Halliday. "He was pleased with the medical assistance at
the hospital and the doctors and nurses couldn't speak English but
tried their best to communicate with him and he told me that."

She said her husband was at first terrified when he was transported
to the prison, but has no complaints about living conditions, food or
prison guards,.

"Each county has different rules regarding telephone calls. In Spain,
you are allowed to make five five-minute calls per week, unless you
do not have visitors, hence the reason Philip can use the telephone
ten times a week," said Halliday.

Officials from the Canadian embassy are involved and sent a full
report to Sheree Halliday after a visit with her husband.

"I asked the embassy yesterday (Jan. 15) how often they would be able
to visit Philip and they only go once a year to inmates in Europe.
She said in places where the conditions are poorer, like Africa, they
visit every three months," she said.

Her husband is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 23 in Madrid
and will be transferred for a few weeks to a Madrid prison around
that time, she said.

She said he has written an eight-page letter to her, as well as
separate letters to his sons, Cody and Darren.

"This is so touching to me," she said. "In the 30 years we've been
together, I've never seen him write a letter."

Halliday can receive and write as many letters as he wants, but
cannot receive packages in the mail, she added.

While she is able to keep friends and family updated, Halliday wishes
there was some way to explain it to their dog, 'Tex'.

"He lays on the back step and watches the road where Philip's boss
would drop him off after work each day. It's heartbreaking. I have
had messages on Facebook from people telling me how glad they will be
to see Philip and Tex walking and driving together again. They were
inseparable."

Through this whole ordeal, Halliday said she cannot get over the
amount of ongoing support from the community.

"Through all of this, I have never felt alone due to the constant
support of family, friends and the community. However, never in my
life have I had such a feeling of helplessness. Waiting to hear
something, anything, for those three weeks was almost unbearable. I
stayed up night after night and searched the computer, hoping to find
any little piece of news from Spain that might mention his name."

Community members, family and friends of the Hallidays have come
together to organize a fundraiser to help cover legal fees.

"Those who know Philip just know that this is not something he would
be involved in and everybody wants him home where he belongs," said
benefit co-organizer Joanne Dunn.

There will be a silent auction, an auction, entertainment, hotdogs,
seafood chowder, cakewalks, 50/50 draw, ticket sales and more.

She said the response from volunteers is overwhelming and appreciated
and the benefit will take place Feb. 7 at Digby Fire Hall from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Facebook group is called 'Family and friends of Philip Halliday'
and as of Jan. 16 had over 1,000 members.