Svend Robinson
Svend Robinson was the first openly gay MP in Canada, one of the first in the world, coming out in 1988. He studied law at UBC and the London School of Economics. Svend was an MP in the National Parliament of Canada from 1979-2004, serving in leadership positions in his party, the NDP. He has worked at the local, national, and international levels for LGBT equality for over 30 years. Svend was the opening keynote speaker at the 1990 Gay Games in his home city of Vancouver, BC. He currently does international advocacy with the global union federation Public Services International, based in France. Svend shares his life with his partner Max and their two dogs.