Angry in the Great White North

Thanks to Toronto Sun columnist Mark Bonokoski, we have a wonderful picture of justice in this country.

First, justice for a nobody:

Aniela Kalimon was a cleaning lady at the Humbertown Plaza in Etobicoke, and was so for almost 30 years.

Aniela Kalimon was 85, a former farm labourer in Poland with no formal education and limited English.

Aniela Kalimon steals a $3 packet of chicken. Aniela Kalimon had no idea she had committed any wrong.

She has advanced Alzheimer's.

Aniela Kalimon, wandering aimlessly without ID, is identified by the name on the medication bottles in her purse.

The Loblaws at the Humbertown Plaza took Aniela Kalimon into a back room and called the cops. And later, in the presence of the woman's daughter, it gave her a choice of criminal charges and an immediate arrest, or a lifetime banishment from every National Grocers outlet in the province.

Aniela Kalimon spends the next week lying on her chesterfield, "not moving and not wanting to move."

"I kept asking her what happened, just in case it would come back to her," said her daughter, Natalya Dobrowolsky. "And all she could say was that she didn't know."

The chicken was immediately recovered. Loblaws eventually sent Aniela flowers and an apology, but only after a public backlash.

And in comparison, justice for an MP and a troublemaker:

IN THIS tale of two thieves, Svend Robinson steals what has been described as a $50,000 diamond ring.

Svend Robinson committed his crime on Good Friday.

Svend Robinson is 52, well-educated and well-spoken.

Svend Robinson blamed several months of "severe stress and emotional pain" in his private life for committing what he emotionally called a "totally inexplicable and unthinkable" act -- including, supposedly, the lingering trauma of a near-fatal hiking accident seven years ago.

Svend Robinson has the means to hire high-priced Toronto lawyer, Clay Ruby.

Svend Robinson is identified by the video-surveillance tapes which were trained on the public auction of high-end jewelry being held in the boardroom of the Vancouver International Airport by the Brampton-based Federal Auction Service.

Federal Auction Service (FAS), acknowledging it has a zero-tolerance theft policy, has nonetheless decided not to seek criminal charges against Svend Robinson.

Despite the fact Svend Robinson stole a piece of jewelry worth $50,000, FAS expressed "sympathy" over what the member from Burnaby-Douglas is going through.

"FAS acknowledges the steps taken by Mr. Robinson and wishes to express its sympathy and concern for him at what must be a difficult and stressful time," said a statement released by the auction house.

Svend Robinson calls a press conference, breaks into tears, is comforted by his partner, Max Riveron, and tries to explain away how "something just snapped in this moment of utter irrationality."

Robinson told the judge he cracked after a visit with his sister, who has multiple sclerosis.

If he had stolen the ring with the intention of giving it to his sister, the opinion here might be somewhat more tempered.

Fact is, however, he didn't steal it to give to her.

He stole it to give to his partner as an engagement ring.

Aniela was banned from all Loblaws stores in the province. Was Svend Robinson banned from holding public office, or at least made unwelcome in the ranks of the NDP, the party for the little guy, the downtrodden?

People like Aniela?

Nope. Jack Layton signed his nomination papers, made some noises about personal responsibility, and let Svend Robinson be acclaimed as the NDP candidate.

Will he win his riding? Probably. That's how these things tend to play out. But if I had to sit beside Svend "Sticky Fingers" Robinson in the House of Commons, I'd be certain to keep an eye on my pen, my Blackberry, my briefcase, my wallet...

Just in case, you know, Svend has another stressful day.