TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › Breaking Mews › Canadian NDP leader, Jack Layton dies at 61
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Canadian NDP leader, Jack Layton dies at 61

post #1 of 13
8/22/11 at 6:23am
Thread Starter 
First thing I heard on the radio this morning, quite a shock, despite knowing he had cancer. Didn't much like his politics but admired the man for his grit and tenacity - he fought the campaign this spring while on crutches, then a cane and took the NDP to status of official opposition

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2137070/
Reply
post #2 of 13
8/22/11 at 7:39am
Incredibly sad and tragic... May he rest in peace.
Reply
post #3 of 13
8/22/11 at 6:15pm
yes so sad seen it on the news
Reply
post #4 of 13
8/22/11 at 9:22pm
He was one of the good guys in politics... a great loss for Canada.
Reply
post #5 of 13
8/23/11 at 2:21am
I was sad to hear this too. I voted for him in the last elections.

RIP Jack
Reply
post #6 of 13
8/23/11 at 4:31am
In his last letter, he wrote some very beautiful words:

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world. - Jack Layton
Reply
post #7 of 13
8/23/11 at 6:25am
Thread Starter 
That letter was incredible - they read it on the radio several times, and I listened closely each time.

He is getting a state funeral, something reserved for PMs, Governers General, etc. I think it is fitting that Harper used his power of discretion to allow and encourage this as there was no precedent regarding serving MPs that had died in office, much less Leader of the Opposition.
Reply
post #8 of 13
8/23/11 at 9:36pm
I was incredibly sad to hear of his death. If only we had more politicians like him what a great country we would have.
Reply
post #9 of 13
8/24/11 at 12:44pm
We were camping, my mom called me and let me know. I only wish I had the day off on Saturday to go to the funeral, he was such a good man. We are having some friends over on Saturday to watch the funeral and have a drink to toast Jack - we will miss him greatly here.

Has everyone seen the chalk memorial going on in Toronto? It's amazing and beautiful! We're hoping to be able to go to Toronto on Monday and make a contribution to it, if it's still going.
Reply
post #10 of 13
8/28/11 at 8:02am
I watched the televised funeral yesterday and what a tribute he received from so many people. He was one of the only politicians with integrity that I've seen in my generation. May he rest in peace and his widow and son take over his fight successfully.
Reply
post #11 of 13
8/28/11 at 3:13pm
I just watched a bit of the funeral yesterday and I was a wreck...I don't think I've ever seen anything so moving. What an awesome funeral
Reply
post #12 of 13
8/28/11 at 6:45pm
You should have seen the funeral for JFK!!!

The scary thing about this Canadian leader is that he was only 61, and that's not that much older than I am.
Reply
post #13 of 13
8/29/11 at 5:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
You should have seen the funeral for JFK!!!

The scary thing about this Canadian leader is that he was only 61, and that's not that much older than I am.
JFK was President of the United States and therefore one would expect it to be a huge funeral and a huge deal.

Mr. Layton was just a leader of one of the opposition parties here in Canada and had never been elected to Prime Minister of Canada so it is hardly the same thing at all but many Americans are not familiar with Canadian politics so your comment is understandable.

I believe a state funeral for this level of politician has only ever happened once or twice in Canadian history.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Breaking Mews
TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › Breaking Mews › Canadian NDP leader, Jack Layton dies at 61