An Interview with Svend Robinson | Excerpted from the Upcoming Book Notes from the Glass Coffin by Kelly Hart As a child in school I would race home everyday. Sprawled across the living room floor I would anxiously wait for the television to warm up. My eyes would widen as the dot in the centre of the screen would begin to grow. It was- n’t cartoons that had my attention. It was the daily broad- casts of the Vietnam War that had a hold on me. As I sat and listened to Walter Cronkite give his daily body count I didn’t know a thing about politics. To me Hawks, Doves, were still birds. But I did know one thing, what I was witnessing was real. As seasons passed and the Vietnam war marched on, I observed and tried to comprehend a recurring theme of bodies spurting blood. Sometimes writhing in pain. Others contorted. Lifeless eyes. It seemed the opportunity to bleed was generous. It was open to soldiers, to the old, to children, in the street or in the jungle. Participation was not discrim- inatory. The sorrow was heart breaking. appalling. Yet each day I returned for more. It was as if I was gathering evidence. I bore witness to anti-war demonstra- tions. Some mass coalitions of people. Too many to com- prehend as being individuals. A swarm. One body chanting, pulsing. Then there were smaller demonstrations. Personal acts of defiance and sacrifice. I would stay up at night, my mind trying to grapple with images of Billy Clubs pummel- ing students, or monks calmly. sitting through a self inflicted burning inferno, slowing sagging into a black featureless structure. The news had become a ritual for me. An obses- sion. Transfixed, I stared and listened. Generals explained tactics and politicians posed for the cameras. Meanwhile, blood continued to flow and soldiers and students kept on fighting. As my body sat motionless in front of the screen my mind was in a free fall. Bewildered and afraid, my subcon- science acted as freeze frame mechanism gathering data for answers, while my conscience was afraid of the questions. I had been paralyzed by anxiety. Confused by inconsistencies. Throughout the long, drawn- out war a mes- sage was delivered that the violence was lawful. Yet pain and suffering had been doled out arbitrarily, leaving the true architect of the violence a mystery. The Kosovo crisis reopened unhealed wounds of deliberation, creating within me a violent storm of anguish. The televised news coverage and special reports that surrounded the recent Kosovo atrocities was by enlarge committed to featuring a pro-NATO stance. My personal reaction to the lack of balanced reporting was that it was a journalistic tragedy. NATO went about violently recreating a nation to suits its needs, in violation of international laws and referring to the alarming Human Rights abuses as “humanitarian bombing”. Washington policies directed the international media and the militaries of several countries . Rather than being challenged by tough, persistent investiga- tive reporting, the public was given a seductive rendition of selective facts and superficial ravings as spewed from millions of televisions. Our own CBC came off sounding like a virtu- al NATO handmaiden. The White House was given carte blanche to write its own history. To rewrite the Balkan’s his- tory. Where were the Political Analysts? The same media that only a week before was more than willing to debate a speech made by the government suddenly became reluctant to question any official pronouncement. Events took place at a blinding speed. A cast of characters began to take shape. One by one they took turns heralding violent accomplish- ments and prophesying scheduled activities. I was stunned ‘by the pathetic contradictions that President Clinton offered to the Public. In a 24 hour period he managed to condemn teenage violence, calling for all Americans to learn to use words, not weapons, to settle their differences. Then, the next day with a straight face he explained that the “Humanitarian Bombing” in Kosovo was for moralistic reasons, and asked us to be confident in their assessments of harmless “collateral damage”. Finding no relief after calling a wide variety of authoritative sources, I ‘ ¢ $ Can i Anne a roeaeey * Ce ’ . ; ~ 4 eile MECC Kae 27) ‘The misery. SUBSTRATES Nutrient mediums for a bacterial culture Myths, Media, and Militarism decided to try and disburse my frustration through writing. The process of my research encouraged me to reach out to indi- viduals who’s opinions I value and respect, Artists, UN Observers, Activists, Politicians, and so on. The following is an example of conversations I shared with beautifully hon- est and brave individuals. kee The day I was to meet with Svend Robinson he had flown in from Ottawa the night before. The next morning he ran the usual gauntlet of appointments that are booked 2-3 weeks in advance. He had had to © attend the sad unexpected funeral of a friend and then rush back for his last two appoint- ments, myself and a young woman. June, his assistant, apologized to me, explaining that Svend Robinson would be (understandably) a couple minutes late. His office is shared with the brick- layers’ union. A sturdy square 2 story build- ing. I followed directions I was given over the phone and upon my arrival I dutifully parked out back. Leaving my truck, I was drawn to a newborn baby proudly being shown to fellow bricklayers at the foot of an unpainted set of wood- en stairs. The gray building and sun bleached stairs were given life with every gurgle and laugh that is persuaded out of the baby by the excited onlookers. Around the corner I passed a heritage fire station still in active service and a small boutique of senses. I tell myself that the baby, bricklayers, fire hall and boutique some how sum up Svend Robinson as a person. I just haven’t been yet able to articulate why. Kelly - I am amazed at how common it has become for me to hear someone lamenting over the lack of leadership in Canada. Recently you were reprimanded for courageous- ly reading a proposal in the House of Commons that did not conform to Party Policies. What would you like to see changed, removed or exposed to help promote more leaders like yourself in this country? Svend - Hmn, that’s a tough question. I think one of the most important changes I would like to see would be an opening up of the political culture. It’s too close now and it’s too driven by what I call the “Old Boy Mentality”. That basically is that politics have to be done a certain way that too often involves sacrificing some pretty fundamental principles you believe in, in exchange for political power; or not even power votes period. I think that more and more Canadians are getting tired of that kind of politics and more and more Canadians are turning off the whole political process. So for me, one of the biggest challenges really is how to get people feeling that they can connect to democra- tic institutions, to parliament, members of parliament - to feel some ownership of that whole process, and to feel that people like me who are elected representatives are listening to them and have something relevant to say about their lives. As much as anything else that is a function of who’s doing politics too, so I think we have to open up the political process and parliament should be made up of a lot more - words that came to mind initially were “free spirits” - but made up of a lot more people that are prepared to maybe back up conventional wisdom and stand up for what they believe in, even if it’s not always positive. People have told me for years they don’t understand why I keep getting elect- ed and re-elected. Its been a little over 20 years, 6 elections, by all the conventional yard sticks I should be toast, right, political history. But you know something, in this commu- nity in Burnaby what I hear a lot is “Hey, we don’t necessar- Svend Robinson, M.P. Burnaby-Douglas | tell myself that the baby, bricklayers, fire hall and bou- tique somehow sum up Svend Robinson as a person. | just haven't been yet able to articu- late why. influx * Mosines October 1999 9 An Interview with Svend Robinson Excerpted from the Upcoming Book Notes from the Glass Coffin by Kelly Hart {As a child in school I would race home everyday. ‘Sprawled aeross the living room floor I would anxiously wait for the television to warm up. My eyes would widen as the dot in the centre of the screen would begin to grow. Ttwas- jt cartoons that had my attention. It was the dally broad~ casts ofthe Vietnam War that had a hold on me. As Isat and listened to Walter Cronkite give his daily body count I didn’t know a thing about politics. To me Hawks, Doves, were stil birds, But I did know one thing, what Twas witnessing was real ‘As seasons passed and the Vietnam war marched ‘om, I observed and tried to comprehend a recurring theme of bodies spurting blood. Sometimes writhing in pain. Others contorted. Lifeless eyes. It seemed the opportunity to bleed. twas generous. It was open to soldiers, othe old, to children, in the street or in the jungle. Participation was not discrim- inatory, The sorrow was heart breaking, ‘The misery appalling. Yet each day I returned for more. It was as if was ‘gathering evidence. I bore witness to anti-war demonstra- tions. Some mass coalitions of people. Too many t0 com- prehend a being individuals. A swarm. One body chanting, pulsing. Then there were smaller demonstrations. Personal facts of defiance and sacrifice. T would stay up at night, my ‘ind trying to grapple with images of Billy Clubs pummel- ing students, or monks calmly’ sitting through a self inflicted burning inferno, slowing sagging into a black featureless structure. The news had become a ritual for me. An obses- sion. Transfixed, I stared and listened. Generals explained tactics and politicians posed for the cameras. Meanwhile, blood continued to flow and soldiers and students kept on fighting. As my body sat motionless infront of the screen my ‘mind was in a fre fall. Bewildered and afraid, my subcon- science acted as freeze frame mechanism gathering data for answers, while my conscience was afraid of the questions. T had been paralyzed by anxiety. Confused by inconsistencies. Throughout the long, drawn-out war a mes- sage was delivered thatthe violence was lawful. Yer pain and suffering had been doled out arbitrary, leaving the true architect of the violence a mystery. The Kosovo crisis reopened unhealed wounds of deliberation, creating within ‘me a violent storm of anguish "The televised news coverage and special reports that surrounded the recent Kosovo atrocities was by enlarge ‘committed to featuring a pro-NATO stance. My personal reaction to the lack of balanced reporting was that it was a journalistic tragedy. NATO went about violently recreating ‘a nation to suits its needs, in violation of international laws ‘and referring to the alarming Human Rights abuses as “humanitarian bombing”. Washington policies directed the international media and the militaries of several countries . Rather than being challenged by tough, persistent investiga- tive reporting, the public was given a seductive rendition of selective facts and superficial ravings as spewed from millions of televisions. Our own CBC came off sounding ike a virtu- al NATO handmaiden. ‘The White House was given carte blanche to write its own history. ‘To rewrite the Balkan’ his- tory. Where were the Political Analysts? The same media that only a week before was more than willing to debate a speech made by the government suddenly became reluctant {to question any official pronouncement. Events took place lata binding speed. A cast of characters began to take shape. (One by one they took turns heralding violent accomplish: ‘ments and prophesying scheduled activites, 1 was stunned’ by the pathetic contradictions that President Clinton offered to the Public. In a 24 hour period hhe managed to condemn teenage violence, calling for all ‘Americans to learn to use words, not weapons, to set their differences. Then, the next day with a straight face he ‘explained thatthe “Humanitarian Bombing” in Kosovo was for moralistic reasons, and asked us to be confident in their assessments of harmless “collateral damage”. Finding no relief after calling a wide variety of authoritative sources, I Suits ERAGE S ‘Nutrient mediums for a bacterial culture Myths, Media, and Militarism decided to wy and disburse my frustration through writing, ‘The process of my research encouraged me to reach out to indi- viduals who's opinions I value and respect, Artists, UN Observers, Activists, Politicians, ‘and so on. The following is an example of ‘conversations I shared with beautifully hon- est and brave individuals. ‘The day I was to meet with Svend Robinson he had flown in from Ottawa the night before. The next morning he ran the usual gauntlet of appointments that are booked 2-3 weeks in advance. He had had to attend the sad unexpected funeral ofa friend. fnd then rush back for his last two appoint ‘ments, myself and a young woman. June, his ‘assistant, apologized to me, explaining that ‘Svend Robinson would be (understandably) 4 couple minutes late. His office is shared with the brick- layers’ union. A sturdy square 2 story build ing. 1 followed directions I was given over the phone and ‘upon my arrival T dutifully parked out back. Leaving my truck, Iwas drawn to a newborn baby proudly being shown to fellow bricklayers at the foot ofan unpainted set of wood- cn stairs. The gray building and sun bleached stairs were given life with every gurgle and laugh that is persuaded out of the baby by the excited onlookers. Around the corner I passed a heritage fre station still in ative service and a small boutique of senses. I tll myself thatthe baby, bricklayers, fire hall and boutique some how sum up Svend Robinson as ‘person, Tjust haven't been yet able to articulate why. Kelly - fam amazed at how common it has become for me to hear someone lamenting over the lack of leadership in Canada, Recently you were reprimanded for courageous- ly reading a proposal in the House of Commons that did not conform to Party Policies. What would you like to see changed, removed or exposed to help promote more leaders like yourself in this country? ‘Svend - Hmm, that’s @ tough question. 1 think ‘one ofthe most important changes I would like to see would bbe an opening up of the political culture. It's too close now and i's too driven by what I call the “Old Boy Mentality” ‘That basically is that politics have to be done a certain way that too often involves sacrificing some pretty fundamental principles you believe in, in exchange for political power; or ‘not even power votes period. I think that more and more Canadians are getting tired ofthat kind of politics and more and more Canadians are turning off the whole politcal process. So for me, one of the biggest challenges really is hhow to get people feeling that they can connect ro democra- tic institutions, to parliament, members of parliament ~ to fel some ownership of that whole process, and to feel that people like me who are lected representatives are listening to them and have something relevant to say about their lives. ‘As much as anything else that is a function of who's doing politics too, s0 I think we have to open up the politcal process and parliament should be made up of a lot more - ‘words that came to mind initially were “free spirits” - but made up of a lot more people that are prepared to maybe ‘back up conventional wisdom and stand up for what they believe in, even if it's not always positive. People have told re for years they don't understand why I keep getting elect- ted and re-elected, Its been a litle over 20 years 6 elections, by all the conventional yard sticks I should be toast, right, political history. But you know something, in this commu- nity in Burnaby what I hear alot is “Hey, we don’t necestar- ‘Svend Robinson, M.P. Burnaby-Douglas | tell myself that the baby, bricklayers, fire hall and bou- tique somehow sum up Svend Robinson as a person. | just haven't been yet able to articu- late why. flux Magazine October 1999 9