Where many of me and my peers woke up this morning, sleeping off hangovers and fringe exhaustion, we were greeted by some truly saddening news.
Jack Layton passed away this morning at home, fighting his second bout of Cancer. It is not yet disclosed what type of Cancer that was. He was only 61 years of age. Jack was the figurehead of the NDP party, a fixture of leadership and stability since 2003. Jack participated in 3 federal elections, consistently won his riding for upwards of 15 years, and as we all remember this last election, succesfully led his party to become the official opposition, and in many ways broke finally the Bloc Party.
For many Canadians, myself and many artists included, Jack represented a hopeful not for our Canadian future of politics. He forbade his party from using untrue attack ads or from trying to spin lies their way. He was a master politician, orator, debater and speaker. Jack focused on the positivism of Canada, not the cynicalism. He wanted a Canada that was better for everybody, not just the rich and powerful, not just the corporations. Jack represented a common worker, the artists, the immigrant families, and a generation of Canadians who feel displaced in our own country.
I remember on occasion debating with a number of my peers about the election recent. Our general state of disquiet was that for us we could not agree on a party to back. In Alberta, many of us are generally untrusting of the NDP party, but whatever could be said, of all the men who stood for the leader's debating, only Jack Layton was deserving of being considered to one day be a Prime Minister. It's truly a shame he never held that title,
I had the opportunity once to listen to Mr. Layton speak. He expressed to us to be impassioned, and to care about the direction of our country. He was less concerned about our 'backing' him and the NDP part, as he was that we be interested and invested in Canada as a whole. To be concerned not just with politics, but with each other, to build our communities, to talk with one another, to be mindful of struggles within our municipal, provincial, federal, and even household environments.
Mr. Layton was interested in getting us active, making us concerned, wanting constituents to be critical and scrutinizing, vocal and honest about their perceptions of government. I don't think that's too outlandish a request.
Jack's final release before Death was this tweet; “Your support and well wishes are so appreciated. Thank you,” Layton, posted to the social media site Twitter. “I will fight this and beat it."
Morgoid has mentioned that supposedly Jack wrote a letter before dying to Canada, I expect we will hear about that soon.
Largely rookie MP Nycole Turmel will lead the party, as Layton had requested. She has some big shoes to fill.
Condolences from all politicians, and constituents in Canada have been flooding in. Whether they agreed with his political views or not, no one can disagree that he was a politician through and through. My condolences to his family, friends, peers, and to Canadians everywhere, the world is a little bit dimmer, a little quieter, and a little sadder this day.
A candlelight vigil is planned in Toronto in Jack Layton's own riding, as well as in Ottawa on Parliament Hill. Nationally all Canadians are invited to light a candle or turn on a light outside their homes at 9pm local for themselves. Jack has passed on, but let's remember him by bringing a little light into our world, one step at a time, friends.
Article by the Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/opposition-leader-jack-layton-dead-at-61/article2137070/
Article by the Toronto Star
http://livenews.thestar.com/Event/Jack_Layton_dead_at_61
Article by the CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/layton-obituary.html
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