The Grade 9 debating class award goes to: John Ivison's spiteful front-page column in last Friday's National Post. "Leftists across the land must have been disheartened when they discovered that even the most illustrious of their number is not immune to the lure of trinkets and baubles," Ivison speculated in his lead sentence. That socialist + property owner = disheartening hypocrisy argument is cowardly right-wing opportunism, especially coming from a man who considers standing up to a U.S. president an act of political immaturity.

 The predictability award goes to: The Ottawa Citizen for its one and only Svenditorial. "We never much cared for Mr. Robinson's politics." No surprise there. "We always feared that his brand of democratic socialism valued more the socialism than the democracy," the writer said, whatever that means. Yet it was rare "for such a public figure to demonstrate such self-awareness and humility," which impressed the hardened boys and girls at the paper.

 The tact-vacuum award goes to: Christie Blatchford, writing in the Globe on Saturday: "It was rather like having your favourite hairdresser in the House of Commons: You could be sure that even in the closed, cruel bubble of official Ottawa, there was a guaranteed quotient of fabulousness." Despite his "embrace of so many diverse and divisive causes," she wrote, Robinson was "a certain kind of gay man - melodramatic, theatrical and let's be blunt here, even a bit of a flamer."

 The sums-it-all-up award goes to: The Ottawa Sun, which, in a Friday news story, briefly referred to Robinson as "a controversial champion of gay, aboriginal and international human rights." If fighting for human rights is what makes Robinson controversial, you've got to wonder what the Sun thinks a non-controversial issue might be. Motherhood maybe?

 
 

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Svend is a real man.     Trew's media survey of Svend Robinson's coverage couldn't be further from the truth of the shameful side of Canada. There is no doubt that stealing is wrong. I accept his explanation of what happened and commend him for taking responsibility for his actions, something many in this country can learn from. What Canada's problems were with Robinson's confession were his tears, his sensitivity to his own wrongdoing, his vulnerability and all because he's a man who stands up for gays, visible minorities, including Aboriginals. Oh, but he's gay, so let's attack that. We've forgiven worse people for worse things who have less reputable track records. How shameful it is that fighting for human rights, gay rights and aboriginal rights be seen as controversial. How shameful it is that if you are a gay politician standing up for what you believe in you are chastised more than you are celebrated long before you snap and make a wrong move that you have the balls to own up to. We call ourselves peace-loving fighters for democracy and proud supporters of a social safety system worthy of praise. If this is how we treat a caring, courageous fighter for people's rights who consistently demonstrates integrity, intelligence and humanity, then we deserve no praise, only shame. -Independant writer-
bobbie smith	{10 votes}	April 22nd, 2004
Can you imagine     Can you imagine if another MP had been the one who stole this ring.Svend would have been in heaven,getting more media coverage for his face,putting down another party and doing everything possible to stir up trouble and have this person put in jail. Svend youre a crook,youre a crook,youre a crook.You should be tried and sentenced just like everyone else.
nick price		May 8th, 2004
Politics, Sexuality, Gender, Colour NOT IMPORTANT     It does not matter to me what or whom Sven Robinson supports or doesn't support. His sexuality is his business, his job is his job. I don't care what type of toothpaste he uses or what his favourite colour is. What I am concerned about is the fact that he broke a law, and should be charged accordingly. What happens in the justice system, happens. The outcome will be when and how it is determined. But he should still be charged with theft, because that is what happened, on a large $50,000.00 scale.
Barb Healey	{1 vote}	May 7th, 2004
A Way Out?     Marc Charette makes a suggestion in his comment that actions like those of Svend Robinson might be a kind of sabotaging of his own success. This makes a lot of sense to me, and is easily the most rational explanation for his theft. As hard as this might be to understand for some people, being successful is one of the scariest things that can happen to a human being. It puts a lot of pressure on them, and while some can deal with it, and even thrive on it, others, sooner or later will buckle and look for a way out. My sympathies are with Mr. Robinson, and I wish him well in whatever he undertakes.
Dietrich Sider		May 6th, 2004
Easy target     Someone that admits a theft and tries to unsuccessfully return the momentarily lost objet to the owner before reporting himself to the police, this person is pretty much responsible of his act, I think. Anybody could lose control of oneself and then regain it by correcting the mistake. It is so true that I wonder whether Svend's mistake is a real crime. May be 'yes' in the eyes of the law, but at this very moment there is this huge sponsoring system amongst Liberals that is being investigated by a commission. And most of the people involved in a way or an other are saying there's nothing wrong... What is the most scandalous move, here? Mr Robinson is NDP member of Parlement and he was known as a socialist fighting for human right cases. That might be a part of the anwser...
Alain Gauthier	{4 votes}	April 27th, 2004
Let's have some perspective, folks...     A thief is a thief is a thief... That a politician steals isn't so shocking as the fact that he would do so old school. Actually TAKING a $50,000 ring takes either a lot of balls or very little brains. Wait, we're talking about Svend Robinson, right? Oh well, that answers that question. Seriously though, before you all come down on the bugger let's keep in mind what nefarious deeds other famous politicians have done before we go all self-righteous on his ass. Ted Kennedy and George W. Bush come to mind. Svend Robinson looks like a schoolgirl next to those two, doesn't he?
Pedro Eggers	{2 votes}	April 27th, 2004
Good Riddance Svend!     Different laws for different classes of people. Only in Canada eh. I've been through a hundred times more stress than Svend, and I don't steal. Stealing is something you do when you are an adolescent, then you learn, then you move on. I don't believe that Svend is acting like a man. He's acting like a little girl. And to cry in public, give me a break, next job for him is in Hollywood. Good riddance Svend!
Paul Lane	{5 votes}	April 25th, 2004
Svend Robin Hood...pfffft     Robin Hood...my ass. Didn't Robin Hood steal from the rich and give to the poor by being an honest thief? Didn't he do good and have Maid Marion by his side. Svend, Svend, Svend.....who cares....he made a mistake, he's gay, his actions, thoughts and morals are his very own. He was and is a disgrace...croc tears...a ploy...alternate reasons for making a public outcry? Don't ya think Svend needs a career change. Damn he's not worth writing about.
Jennifer Berardini	{3 votes}	April 24th, 2004
And your point is?     He's a thief. So what? Nobody's perfect. As crimes go this is one of those basic ones that politicians routinely commit and get forgiven for. Is that right? Probably not. I guess I'm looking at the bigger picture and tend to see that in the cluster of lousy politicians that we have that he's the lesser of the evils. Still an evil but just a lesser one.
Juana Cabezas	{1 vote}	April 23rd, 2004
Another Charron     Years ago, Charron (then with the PQ) traced the way for Sven, stealing as well and having to quit on those basis. He became a successful tv host and is often hired to comment the news. What is surprising with those two cases is how these two successful, articulate men created professionnal suicide by stealing something they don't really need. They must have known the possible consequences. I kinda wonder if the pressure gets too much, if this is one way of sabotaging their own success.
Marc Charette	{5 votes}	April 23rd, 2004
I couldn't help but wonder.....     Watching Svend Robinson crying on national tv, I couldn't help but wonder if this could not all be a scam. What if this was nothing but a huge publicity stunt? Let's face it: this story will follow Robinson wherever he goes, but stealing something on the spur of the moment has not stopped other public figures to maintain their popularity. I can think of a few names on the politic scene in Quebec: you can actually turn this to your advantage and gain sympathy from the public.... On the other hand, if it is not a stunt, I feel it is very sad. I believe that acting this way must indicate deeper problems for Svend Robinson: why risk everything he had for such a small thing? This may actually be a cry for help... I can't help but wonder....
Sylvie Isabelle		April 22nd, 2004
He was, and is no angel     Whether or not you agree with Svend's politics or lifestyle, you can't say that the reaction to his behaviour glitch was totally unexpected. For all the good things that Svend has done over his life, as a politician, and otherwise, he has put himself up at times as "Holier than thou" to his colleagues in the House of Commons, and to the Press in general. Now you must be quite naive to think that his press conference was not totally orchestrated by the party. I'm sure that he was sincere, and that he has been under enormous pressure through his work, but admittedly, he was being proactive in disclosing his theft..... It worked for Bill Clinton, why shouldn't it work for Svend Robinson. What drove him to express the anguish in his life through stealing is beyond me, but there must be a reason, and only he really knows what it is. Like all people who do wrong, there should be an act of contrition, then forgiveness, and he should be left to lead his life as he will.
Brian Downing	{1 vote}	April 22nd, 2004
So what are you saying, it's OK to steal if you're gay and in the NDP?!?     While the editorials you featured in your article about Sven Robinson were mean-sprited and petty, I doubt the coverage would have been any less vemonous if heterosexuals Paul Martin or Stephen Harper decided to pilfer a ring for their wives. Any emphasis on Robinson's sexual habits is because Robinson has always put his homosexuality front and center; it's a little too late for him to jump back in the closet when he's caught breaking the law.
Andrew Franklin	{1 vote}	April 22nd, 2004
Blinded by the light...camera lights     The media glare has washed out the truth. don't you people know anything? Svend is the anti-christ and he's coming to get us all!!! run! hide! don't touch him...those tears a blaspemied! sheesh. i hope all of his critics remember their words when they stand up to take their lumps. judgement day is a-comin'. just sign me,another teammate
Thomas J. Martin	{1 vote}	April 27th, 2004

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