With reporters on tight filing deadlines, he was asked, four times, a simple question about what exactly he had achieved on this whirlwind trip to Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Japan, China and Hong Kong.

With notes in hand, Martin was champing at the bit to have a big yak about it, but put off the question from English, French and Chinese journalists each time, asking if there were other issues to deal with first. There was — the explosion of the same-sex marriage debate.

Martin launched into an explanation of both.

It ran for nearly an hour. Martin talked and talked. So much that his press secretary had to redirect him at one point. There were many messages, all linked in Martin's mind.

He drew a thread through his thinking about same-sex marriage, the Charter of Rights and his view of Canada's international role. ...

Asked had Canadians understood his mission here, Martin said in his view, his message, in all its complexity, is reaching Canadians.

"When I go across the country and I speak on it, there's no doubt it strikes a resonant chord," said Martin. "I think that they believe that we have a responsibility to make a difference and they want to see us do it."

Then Martin hesitated and asked a reporter, "I don't know, is it getting through to you?"