My apologies for making SDA ‘all Svend all the time’, but I just couldn’t pass this up:
Svend Robinson, the former New Democrat MP who left office after he was caught stealing a diamond ring, says he will likely run again in the next federal election, a Toronto newspaper reports.
“I’m pretty close,” Robinson said in an interview with the newspaper.
“It would take something pretty significant for me not to go ahead now. And I just don’t see what that will be.”
He will make it official in two weeks’ time and when he does, Robinson will announce he’s running against Liberal MP Hedy Fry in Vancouver Centre, rather than his old riding of Burnaby Douglas, which has been filled by NDP Bill Siksay.
After winning six consecutive elections since 1979, Robinson was caught in April 2004 stealing a $64,000 diamond engagement ring, which he intended to give to his boyfriend.
He plead guilty to theft over $5,000 for stealing the ring, but revealed that he was suffering from a mental-health disorder at the time.
[link — h/t: Neale News
I’m not gay, but if I was, I would think that I’d be pretty horrified about having a known thief representing my particular interest group. It’s what the Chinese would call bad joss. Maybe it’s time for a law saying that someone convicted of theft, no matter how small the amount, will be permanently barred from obtaining a federal seat in this country. (I’m usually in favour of less laws, but I think I could live with this one.)
And what is it with the value of that ring he stole? It seems to bounce all over the place?
The everchanging value of the ring must be part of the socialist plan for Svends rehabilitations. Soon it becomes just “stolen” ring, then troubles with the law, then indiscretion then the RCMP beat up Svend. I guess he is now rehabilitated. Funny how those on the right must pay and pay and pay.
Interesting to read in one article that he is officially bi-polar but is no longer taking his medication. Built in excuse for anything that he oes. And we can’t even question it because he is “ill”.
As a constituent i always thought Svend was nuts. Nice to see i was right.
enough
Hmm. Mental anguish and suffering, steals a ring worth $50,000 (plus GST/PST). Then, he manages to get us to pay him $10K for more pain and suffering at the hands of the RCMP. Methinks he’d make a perfect Liberal. Even the NDP have SOME ethics/integrity. Okay, it might be a bit of a stretch given that Layton continues to play coy with the Libs in his own desperate cling to power.
Personally, I’m just glad that we’re getting rid of at least one of the two =) I’d rather have a Lib in power than a Dipper, but at least they’re picking off each other.
could be good for us (its my riding) . . . Svendy will split the very large gay vote in Hedy’s riding and leave the middle open for a good CPC candidate.
The liar vs the thief . . . good combo, except it could be the lair AND the thief and cover the Liberal party in general.
Split the Left, win the middle = CPC electoral success.
Hey, he said he was sorry. He paid his fine. He did it for love, anyway. He should be the next Prime Minister.
It’s his right to run. But I hope he loses.
I am a little bufuddled by his claim that he suffers from a bipolar disorder, but has it under control with no medication and monthly visits to a therapist. I think two things are probable: either he’s leading us on about the seriousness of his bipolarity, or he’s leading us on about his control over it. Either way, we’ll let the people decide.
In “Left World” I doesn’t matter what you do or what you say, there is an explainable underlying reason why you did it and it’s simply not your fault.
Your personal integrity, honesty, sexual orientation, criminal record …. non of this matters if you just align yourself with the lefties and feign compassion for the less fortunate … and hate George Bush. That’s it! .. instant acceptance. Just the proper blend of compassion and hate .. that defines the left in my view.
However they do like to extend their hate to the fortunate who just woke up one morning with everything paid for, nice house and retirement fund. I am not sure who that is, but I worked most of my life for what I have and fortune had nothing to do with it.
The no-fault life on the left is a result of too many committee meetings with psychologists and psychiatrists. These are the people who have really messed with our minds and our attitudes. Are you ready? They are doing as much damage to our society as lawyers.
What I have most trouble with is that I never met a leftie who wasn’t trying to get his or her or it’s hands on as much money as possible. Even more troubling is that they always seem to target other peoples money in leau of getting their own. As we all know … “god blesses the child that’s got his own”.
How is it now his “right” to run? Just ’cause a Liberal judge said so? Just ’cause the Liberals said so? The MSM?
Surely you don’t mean he should actually have such a right as someone who was convicted of a serious criminal offence, notwithstanding the fact his record was thrown out?
This is the problem with Canadian “justice” today: criminals of all kinds get to go free and often end up better off than ordinary folk with the support of the Liberal-controlled state apparatus.
I agree w/Peter that Svend might be fooling many people as to his mental state.
He deserves sound defeat as he’s a poor rep for the people and the country.
Read Gary Mason’s ‘piece’ on Svend. There’s enough bullshit and bias crammed into one article to make tears flow from coast to coast.
http://tinyurl.com/86aj3
sniff…….
“I am a little bufuddled by his claim that he suffers from a bipolar disorder, but has it under control with no medication and monthly visits to a therapist. I think two things are probable: either he’s leading us on about the seriousness of his bipolarity, or he’s leading us on about his control over it.”
I suffer from severe schizophrenia (psychotic symptoms, voices, disordered thinking). I haven’t had to take medication for a while, but I keep it handy in case I feel myself sliding (or, more accurately, if my wife notices me sliding).
In my case I am able to overcome my symptoms by thinking positive and keeping myself busy. If things get bad I grab a camera and go for a walk in the hills — nothing is better for clearing the head. Granted, what works well for me will not necessarily work well for the next person with the same symptoms.
My experience with mental illness (which is, unfortunately, considerable), is that it tends to exaggerate what is already there. If you were dishonest to begin with, losing your impulse control isn’t going to do you any favours. Why did Svend pocket the ring? Because he’s a thief. Perhaps he wouldn’t have snagged it if he had been on his Paxil (or whatever he takes), but I suspect the inclination to pocket the item would have been there, illness or not.
He is not someone who should be holding office.
He’s the perfect modern liberal/socialist candidate….he is a victim, a victim of his childhood, a victim of his “genetics” making him a sexual minority, a victim of “the man” (RCMP), a victim of too much pressure from his job, a victim of loving his partner SOOOOO much, a victim of people misunderstanding his mental affliction…oh and by the way he is all better now, forgiven and redeemed….not a single thread of responsibility or a single shred of shame over cinstantly being a victim. Victimhood is to be celebrated and elevated….HE IS PERFECT
Sean: Thanks sincerely for your informative post.
Sentinel, it’s his right to run because our legal system does not exclude those convicted of a criminal offense. It is, perhaps rightfully, for the people to decide if this should preclude him from holding office.
Well, Peter, if you’re right and being a convicted criminal cannot legally preclude one from running for office, then Canada has a problem.
After all, a prior conviction for criminality can legally preclude one from being employed by anyone who doesn’t want to employ an ex-con, isn’t that the case?
Nevertheless, I hope the people of the riding in which SR may run have the good, common sense to vote for the Tory candidate, or for the, gag, Librano, even, just to avoid vote splitting in SR’s favor and keep from having to endure the lunatic for another 1-3 years or whatever. Hell, it’s scary to imagine what else SR has planned should he again sit in the HOC.
This country is simply not tough enough on crime and on those who commit them. Of course, with the kind of gov’t we’ve had lately, it’s no surprise…
Stealing, lying, making excuses, why is this guy not in the Liberal party. I think he would be a perfect fit.
Robinson v/s Fry? Right on: catfight!
Oh you bring along the old copper kettle,
and I’ll bring along the corn.
You bring along the wood for the fire,
and new liqour will be born.
It’s not the mental condition of Svend
that is the issue
it is the mental condition of the people
who elected him
and who might elect him again
it’s incredible to think
that even is a possibility.
“Robinson v/s Fry? Right on: catfight!”
Looks more like a case of ‘he said, she said’ to me, albeit with the genders swapped.
“It is, perhaps rightfully, for the people to decide if this should preclude him from holding office.”
Too true. I concede your point.
Isn’t it all just too sad? Elected reps like Hedy & Svend are really the best we can do? I suspect the drama queen’s mental anguish was simply situational: he got busted and his career was ruined – albeit temporarily. If he hadn’t been caught on tape, is it likely he’d have returned the ring? I want to know why the Bar hasn’t reprimanded him. He admitted he did it. How come religion has no part in governance except when it comes to forgiveness and redemption of criminal MPs?
Well stated Duke, you have it figured out completely as far as the lefties MO is concerned. I was in Svends riding back twenty years ago and could not be more tired of this guy. He has been an inherently evil influence from the first day he hit the public forum. The bastard should be in jail, hard to believe he could muster enough support to get elected just on the negative funk of the ring theft incident alone, but then again moral relativity reigns supreme these days.
It’s the mere fact that he prefers not to find an honest job elsewhere that is most revealing. In a way, there is political advantage for us in that the NDP and Liberal Parties are far more prone to attracting Thieves and Scammers than the CPC. Now we have concrete proof of that.
I just wish he would marry Mrs. Brutus and change the last name to ShortPants or something.
Yew know why and what I mean? 73s TG
So how is he different from MOST politicians?
Oh yea, I forgot. He got caught.
Horny Toad
Excellent point, TG. I think we CPCers should make more of a stink of the fact that the Libs and Dippers have so many crooks among their ranks and we’ve long ago taken care of any we may once have had in the olden days.
“Mrs. Brutus”? Is that like the wife of Brutus of “Et tu, Brute”? (Shakespeare)
Trying to figure out what you mean now, but y’know, I don’t think either Hedy or Svend is “worse” than the other; they’re so different, yet so similarly hair-pulling-out-annoying. How about the eyebrows on Ms. Fry? Have you ever seen more arrogant, “I’m so damn superior to you” eyebrows?
And have y’all ever encountered such illogic as Svend is wont to scream when accusing people of a certain kind of phobia? Remember when Mr. Harper simply pointed out, indirectly, that SR had posted a (oh, no!) naked picture of himself on the internet? How the hell is that “phobic” of anyone?
I’ll tell y’all, that the Libs, Dippers and Blocheads have far worse crapheads among their ranks today than we ever have in the entire history of the conservative movement in Canada.
I wonder if Fr Van Hee who was harassed by Svend on December 7, 1999 can sue him as well. Robinson broke the protester’s sign and threw it over the wall, violating his right to free speech and destroying his property.
But freedom only goes one way.
Send your lying resume to: S. Robinson, c/o, Hedy Fry, Socialist Party HQ, 24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
Att: AdScam Martin, CEO/CFO/BS/Auditor, $Librano$$$$$$$$ Quote File # 300. >>>>>>
Feds set to improve oversight mechanisms
OTTAWA (CP) – The federal government is preparing to hire 300 new auditors to help update oversight measures that it acknowledges are archaic and dysfunctional.>>> more canoenews.ca
Probably the 300 new auditors will just stand around outside their cubicles, talking about nothing and sipping coffee.
Betcha they’re either loyal Liberals getting rewarded with high-paying do-nothing jobs or family members of folk who already work for the feds.
Why doesn’t the current gov’t acknowledge THEY are archaic and dysfunctional?
LIBRANO$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Apologies, Maz, but I couldn’t resist…
If justice is to be served, and we are to be consistent with the hard line liberal judges have taken with criminals, we must make Svend deliver some speeches to university kids on how stealing $50,000 rings for your lover can temporarily interfer with political careers and all caution should be taken not to get caught.
Maz2
So are the 300 positions to coach liberals on how not to get caught or to introduce new legislation that makes it legal to rip off Canadian taxpayers???
He obviously should have the right to run again in an election. However, his emotional stability should be an issue to his constituents. If he can snap so suddenly and steal a ring, no one can guarantee that he is completely over the problem. Perhaps it was the stress of office that brought it on. I’m not sure that Hedy Fry is the best candidate to argue about Svend’s mental stability though. If I were the conservatives, I would run the most boring, straight laced person I could find in this riding.
Well, Brian, I personally believe that convicted criminals shouldn’t have any right to run for office for the purpose of running the country and telling us what we can and can’t do. Doesn’t matter if they’ve had their rap sheet wiped clean. They still demonstrated criminal behavior and that must be seen as a red flag.
I would support legislation to make it impossible for anyone convicted of a criminal offence to run for political office. We really do need more crooks in Ottawa, don’t we?
But that’s only my opinion. Who knows how others think?
I can not understand why everyone is so hard on poor Svend. He could never handle the jail house rock. And after all he is minor player compared to the Liberals. I think we all need some lessons on how to steal and get away with it. Not only can you steal but the no brainers will vote for you and your party without hesitation.
Actually the Liberals are so good at it that we should vote for them just because they are the best at the game. Ha don’t think so
Sentinel:
Suppose a 20 year old drives his car drunk and gets caught. He is sentenced, and fulfills all his obligations. Ten years later he receives a pardon, and in the meantime goes on to a successful career. Should he be barred from running for office?
The people can decide, I should think.
peter
Although I do not tend to agree with Mr. Loewen on most issues, I believe the nature of democracy is such that each party chooses the best candidate for the riding. I believe that the voters need to be made aware of the criminal background. However, I don’t believe there is much about Svend that is hidden…it is simply a poor candidate selection by the NDP. PLUS as a supporter of the conservative and green parties, I hafta see this gong show play out.
Svend your victorious
happy and glorious, long toooo reign over us
God save our queen
Peter, how about the people decide whether convicted criminals have the “right” to run for office? Just talking about the concept now.
Anything wrong with that kind of democracy?
Whatever gets decided upon by the people will apply to everyone equally: commit a crime and you’ll never run for office…
That’s what I would like to see. You may differ, but that’s ok too.
We’ve had too many crooks in office, after all…
Sentinel:
You have a point. I just think that there are a lot of examples of people who are upstanding individuals despite past indiscretions. It’s a debate worth having – as long as it’s not motivated by one case.
If I lived in San Fransico I would say ” go fry a tenderloin”. Sorry for a bit of fun. I have lived in the riding in the west end and I really think they both fit in well there. But, the “house of comics” will accept many strange creatures.
Hey this sounds like a win – win situation for cynical, over worked tax payers….we will lose the NAC SOW Hedi Fry and her minority bigotry and gain a new comical target for the “dunk tank” at the kleptocrat gay shame carnaval……is this a great country or what?
Is it just me, or does anybody else want to hurl when we hear how SR “pocketed” the ring?
Sven would have “pocketed” table change left as a tip in some Burnaby greasy spoon; THIS was a ring worth $thousands…
… and he STOLE IT.
Please. Enough with the “nicey-nice” euphemisms, and call a spade a spade. Here’s another non-euphemistic thought:
Svend Robinson is a thief. Is that clear enough for folks?
And are our expectations of our parliamentarians so pitiful that we’d allow (or worse yet, encourage) a felon to assume elected office in the federal government? Has Canada no standards? How would any opposing MP summon the gall to refer to Robinson as “Honorable Member”?
What about “… a question for the felonius member from Burnaby, BC…”
Gawd. And WE have the gall to question the integrity of US politicians. The hypocrisy is nauseating.
sjd(at)cogeco(d0t)ca
What this go to show you is how far we have slid into the immoral sickly trough of the politics of today. To think that the NDP would actualy let this man run for them in any riding will tell us what kind of standard they have sunk to . Supporting a corrupt govt,letting a thieving pedaphile (he did want the age of consent lowered to 12 by the way)reprisent them in any riding just boggles the mind.What would be truely amazing would be if he actualy won.
Svend Robinson, the former and maybe future NDP MP with the ethical qualifications to be a Librano!
Svend should be behind bars right now and past the coming election. I know they let incarcerated people vote, but whats next, some convict running for office while still in prison itself?
Is this perhaps a case where the party leader, Jack Layton should step in and say sorry Svend, your political days in the NDP are over?? After all he signs the nomination papers doesnt he.