April 16, 2004
REAL MEN STEAL TOOLS
'Something just snapped,' Svend Robinson says
(Darren Yourk, Globe and Mail, 16/04/04)
Star New Democrat MP Svend Robinson took a sudden and stunning leave from federal politics Thursday -- stepping down from the job he's had for 25 years after he admitting he stole jewellery last Friday.Describing his past few months as a time in which he has experienced "severe stress," the seven-term MP for Burnaby-Douglas said "something just snapped" last Friday when he pocketed a ring during a public sale at an auction house.
"For some time now, I have been suffering from severe stress and emotional pain ," Mr. Robinson said during prepared comments. "...I have experienced great inner turmoil. The reasons for this are intensely personal and I'm not prepared to discuss them."
Mr. Robinson said he didn't know why he took the ring, but was in agony over the incident. He tried to contact the auction house owners over the weekend without success before deciding to contact police...
"I will not seek to in any way avoid full responsibility for my actions should charges be laid in these circumstances," Mr. Robinson said. "I have sought and am receiving professional medical help to understand and deal with these issues."
Mr. Robinson was vague about what the source of his stress, but he did mention a near fatal hiking accident that happened in December, 1997. Mr. Robinson suffered a broken jaw and ankle after he fell down a sheer rock face while hiking on the Gulf Islands.
Mr. Robinson stepped down as federal NDP candidate for Burnaby-Douglas while the issues remain unresolved. Last October he again secured the NDP nomination for the coming election.
His medical leave takes effect immediately.
Robinson, a bright, presentable and very genial guy who is always described tediously as “Canada’s first openly gay M. P.”, is the most prominent hard-left politician in Parliament and a hero to the pro-gay, pro UN, anti-American, anti-Israeli constituency. Neither democracy, freedom nor the rule of law stands in the way of our Svend’s tireless quest for the brave new world of leftist dreams. For a conservative, it is hard to avoid the admittedly ignoble satisfaction one feels when the star of the hated opposing team is injured.
The story so far is that he turned himself in on moral grounds alone. If so, it would be churlish to deny him a few points for character. But is it churlish to complain that his notion of taking full responsibility for jewelry theft is to take a medical leave and discuss his inner turmoil and the trauma of an ancient hiking accident with his therapist, all on the public’s dime?