NEWS RELEASE June 9, 2004 For Immediate Release When will Svend Robinson be charged with theft? EDMONTON - The Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy, a national advocacy group, published an advertisement this morning in the Vancouver Province. The ad is headlined "Two months ago MP Svend Robinson was caught stealing. Will he be charged with theft?" It urges readers to e-mail a letter of concern to the B.C. government from the Citizens Centre Web site (www.citizenscentre.com). Over 2,600 e-mails have already reached Attorney-General Geoff Plant, with copies to B.C.'s Premier, Deputy Premier and Solicitor-General. People are wondering why after eight weeks of consideration there is still no charge of indictable theft against Robinson, explained Citizens Centre chairman Link Byfield. "This issue is not really about Svend Robinson," said Byfield. "He confessed what he did in a national media statement on April 14. Why isn't he charged? What's the hold up?" The value of the stolen ring was never disclosed, nor the sequence of events between Robinson and the RCMP, who received videotaped evidence of the theft two days before Robinson says he contacted them. The charge investigated by the RCMP was "theft over $5,000," which carries a sentence of up to ten years. Given Robinson's confession, the matter should be put to a trial as quickly as possible, said Byfield, so all the facts are known and a judge can hear the evidence and render a decision. Although the B.C. government has entrusted the case to a special prosecutor, Vancouver lawyer Leonard Doust, the decision whether or not to prosecute Robinson remains with Attorney-General Plant and his senior officials. - 30 - For background on this issue: www.citizenscentre.com/svendback.html LISTEN: CBC Radio Interview CKNW News Story   Background on Svend's crime

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