On April 15, Svend Robinson (NDP, Burnaby-Douglas), Canada’s first openly homosexual MP, called a press conference where he tearfully told the nation he had “inexplicably” stolen a piece of jewelry on Good Friday and then explained it was due to the stress and poor health that he has suffered since a “hiking accident” in 1997. Effective immediately, he was taking a medical leave of absence. He did not take any questions.

Robinson told reporters that he had been under “considerable stress,” which culminated on Good Friday, in his “unthinkable act,” the pocketing of a piece of expensive jewelry,” a ring, while in full view of retail sales clerks. He claimed that, despite knowing that what he was doing was wrong, “something snapped” inside.

Within days, the NDP riding association announced that Robinson would not be their candidate in the upcoming election. Canadian pro-lifers are not disappointed to see Robinson go. Not only has he agitated for gay rights agenda including same-sex “marriage” and his private members’s bill, C-250 which will amend the Criminal Code to provide special protection for homosexuals, he has long advocated abortion and euthanasia. In 1990, Robinson was at the bedside of Sue Rodriquez when she died. She had taken her battle to win to have a doctor assist her suicide all the way to the Supreme Court. She lost, but obviously someone had helped her to kill herself..

Robinson has also assaulted a pro-life priest. In 2000, he grabbed a sign held by Fr. Tony van Hee and destroyed it. He later attempted to have Fr. van Hee removed from Parliament Hill where the priest had picketed parliamentarians regularly for years without problem. Yet, in 2001, Robinson complained about police mistreatment of himself and other protestors at a meeting of American heads of state in Quebec City. As one journalist told The Interim, “Consistency has never been one of Robinson’s strengths.”

Ken Campbell of the Tumbler Ridge, B.C.-based Liberation Ministries called the press conference a publicity stunt “designed to generate sympathy to bolster sagging support for his suppressive Bill C-250” which was “languishing in the Senate.”

Campbell added: “Some day Svend may learn to accept personal moral responsibility for his conduct and begin to serve rather than exploit humanity!”

Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, said that Robinson’s admission is reason to suspend consideration of C-250. He said it is wrong to have someone who has clearly violated the Criminal Code pushing to amend the Criminal Code: “The process of amending the Criminal Code of Canada must be beyond reproach.”

McVety added, “It is problematic to have criminal laws written by a legislator who, by his own admission, is guilty of socially destructive grand theft.”

In a press release, CFAC said Robinson’s admission that he’s been suffering severe stress and emotional pain is another reason the proposed law should not be passed: “Such admissions bring into question the integrity of the frame of mind that conceived and drafted Bill C-250.”

Robinson stole a $50,000 ring at a government auction on Good Friday. He said it was spur of the moment but days after his public admission, Burnaby, B.C. jeweler Shahraz Kassam said that the MP had been shopping for a diamond ring the week before he committed his theft because Robinson was considering proposing to his partner Max Riveron. “I find the whole thing amazing,” Kassam told the Canadian Press. “It’s almost laughable. He was perfectly fine. He was like any person looking for a nice, special gift.”

The RCMP have completed their investigation. A special prosecutor is reviewing the case and Crown officials have given no timetable for when a decision on charges might be announced.

CLC national president Jim Hughes told The Interim he remembers the police and prosecutors promised the same thing when Sue Rodriquez was died but nothing came of it.