Bye Bye Svend
April 15th, 2004
NDP member and Canadian MP (and general all-around pain in the ass) Svend Robinson is quitting politics:
The reason for the popular MP’s departure from political life was not immediately known. Robinson, an outspoken figure on Parliament Hill, became Canada’s first openly homosexual MP when he publicly declared his sexual orientation in 1988.
His aggressive stands on same-sex marriage, charter protection of gay rights and Palestinian autonomy – among other issues – have made Robinson a lightning rod for critics.
This is indeed big news. All the NDP members bother me, but Robinson is particularly annoying.
For the record, it’s not the “openly gay” or “protection of gay rights” issues that bother me about Robinson. Far from it. On those points, I actually agree with him.
No, it’s more due to things like this:
He was demoted from his international affairs critic’s role two years ago after travelling to the West Bank, staging his own detention at an Israeli checkpoint and then accusing the Israeli military of murder and torture.
“I plead guilty. Yes, I am taking sides,” Robinson said at the time.
“I am taking the side of peace over war. I am taking the side of the oppressed over the oppressor.”
Oh, and let’s not forget the time he nominated the ISM for a Nobel Peace Prize. Hey, I suppose they deserve it just as much as Arafat does…
Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out, Svend.
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yay!
’nuff said.
Sheila Copps AND Svend Robinson leaving politics?! Oh frabjous joy!!!
This, of course, makes my electoral decision even easier… now if only we could get David Bernans to abstain from running for the NDP…
The NDP: they suck less than the alternatives, particularly from this day forward!
I think that we’re very much on the same page this time around, Sari.