I'm so sick of this conservative drool fest over Svend Robinson

[HEyHEY]

Yeah, he stole a ring, I don't condone it, but at least he didn't cause taxpayers $90,000 in, money for a libel suit, or bilk a shitload of money and give it to his buddies. You know damn well they're loving it because he's gay, and there's nothing Conservative pukes ike more than to see a gay man sqiurm.
What Svend did was wrong, but no more wrong than half the shit that happens in Ottawa. But I guess if you're a gay liberal there's a different rating system.

[senseandsensibility]

1. I'm sorry

being a typical, ignorant American, I have to plead guilty to complete ignorance about Svend Robinson. But it does sound juicy. Let us in on the details.

[Canuckistanian]

3. Svend was a popular progressive Member of Parliament

Earlier this year, he stole a very valuable ring from a jewellery show. Just grabbed it and shoved it in his pocket. A while later he turned himself in to police and returned the ring.

He then gave up his MP seat and went into seclusion, leaving behind many shocked constituents and supporters.

He was so well liked, his successor (his assistant) won the seat in our June election.

I haven't heard any criticisms from the conservatives about him, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[senseandsensibility]

7. Wow

He turned himself in? Obviously, he was wrong to take the ring, but he must have felt very guilty if he turned himself in. Maybe he has a psychological problem that causes him to shoplift. It seems like he could be cut some slack if he got treatment.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

2. This is why DU needs a Canada forum!

We need a place for Canucks like me and HeyHey to hang out and talk beavers and eskimos..

[Canuckistanian]

4. We should ask Skinner or EarlG if we could get a forum, too!

[HEyHEY]

9. I've asked and gotten a positive response

But nothing yet, it was during the setting up of State forums, so thjey probably got busy and forgot. I also offered to write something on the Canadian election...never heard back from one of the admins after skinner said it would be good, again though they get busy.

[TrogL]

5. I thought it was a dead issue

The CBC mentioned his court date but other than that I haven't heard anything.

[Spazito]

8. There is a "new" controversy now which allows the news (CTV anyway)

to tack on the ring business. It seems that Robinson went to Scotland on behalf of the NDP, on taxpayers money, and some are complaining about it.

Edited to add news story about the trip:

Layton defends Svend Robinson trip to Scotland

Though he's no longer a working MP, and is facing a criminal charge, Svend Robinson took a taxpayer-funded trip to Scotland last week.

Robinson travelled with a group of eight MPs and senators to Edinburgh, Scotland for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Robinson's partner said the NDP veteran went on the July 6 to 9 trip only to fulfill his duties as chair of the group's human-rights committee.

snip

Police charged the 25-year veteran of the NDP caucus last month in connection with an expensive ring he admitted "pocketing" at a public auction.

more

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1089985964585_21/?hub=TopStories

(Note the harking back to the ring)

[Lisa]

6. I suspect it was a stress-related irrational act ...

Wasn't there a Quebec politician who walked out of a store with a couple of coats, a few years back? One routinely hears of public figures caught shoplifting or getting into fights, etc. -- acts which don't make any sense, because it's usually over a trivial matter and people know who they are, so they couldn't possibly get away with it. These are medical problems, not pre-planned crimes.

Svend has been in political office for a couple of decades -- the people in his riding know and respect him, and kept re-electing him. Even folks who aren't comfortable talking about gay issues (like my parents) speak highly of Svend Robinson's work as a representative. I've talked with people who work in his office, and they say that he's been in emotional crisis for months now. Members of Parliament (particularly those representing areas a long way from Ottawa) have very demanding schedules, and he's the kind of person who cares enough to put a lot into his work. He tried to keep doing this even with family troubles (and continuing pain from a near-fatal accident). He came to his senses after leaving the store, and tried to return the ring, but apparently the place had already closed down for the long weekend. Rather than try to smooth everything over, he opted for full disclosure. He didn't run in the recent election, but one of his colleagues took his place, and retained the seat for the NDP. (If the voters hadn't trusted him, I suspect they would have turned to one of the other parties.)

I'm sad about this too -- I think he handled the situation as honestly as possible -- and I hope that he'll be well soon.

[iverglas]

10. and poor Lorne Nystrom

(another NDP Member of Parliament)

and his 1990 shoplifting of ... wait for it ... contact lens solution.

My impression of Svend (only a teeny bit of it from personal contact, but from relatively close public observation) is that he's a pretty tough nut, but does have his own demons.

I'm still a pretty huge fan. We should only have more Svends and Libby Davieses in the caucus, and in Parliament. (When I wrote critically to each of our caucus members back after they turfed Svend from his critic position over his advocacy of Palestinian rights to statehood or however that went, Libby was the only one who answered, and who supported Svend. And now I'm on her permanent mailing list. I was astounded and disgusted, as a party member who has really gone way above and beyond the call of duty more than once, not to have got any other replies.)