Jack Layton - The Death of a Canadian Icon - We'll miss you Jack, RIP

Bamelin

Jack Layton just passed away. He'll be remembered as a Canadian Icon. =(



Jack's last Letter to Canada -- Dated August 20, 2011

A letter to Canadians from the Honourable Jack Layton

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

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.

All my very best,


Jack Layton

Though he looked and sounded weak, Layton's resolve was strong. He wanted a better Canada and said his party would help build "the country of our hopes, of our dreams, of our optimism, our determination, our values and our love." Those were the last words Layton said publicly to Canadians, before a final, "Thank you very much."

You'll be missed Jack =*(

Bamelin

No matter one's political persuasion, I think it's safe to say that nobody could doubt Jack's commitment to Canadian families. His death is even more tragic given the massive breakthrough of NDP into the Opposing Party in Parliament in the last election.

SatanIsMyMotor

Seriously - an absolute shame. I largely credit Layton with getting me interested in politics. It's a shame he never got a crack at the big job. RIP.

Richy

Bamelin wrote:

His death is even more tragic given the massive breakthrough of NDP into the Opposing Party in Parliament in the last election.

He became leader of the NDP at its lowest point - a joke of a party at 19 seats - and spent his life building it up. He died after seeing it grow ten-fold in seats and become the official opposition. Few men get to see the fruit of their lifetime of labour come to fruition so clearly and directly. I believe he died a happy man.

Bamelin

Richy wrote:

Bamelin wrote:

His death is even more tragic given the massive breakthrough of NDP into the Opposing Party in Parliament in the last election.

He became leader of the NDP at its lowest point - a joke of a party at 19 seats - and spent his life building it up. He died after seeing it grow ten-fold in seats and become the official opposition. Few men get to see the fruit of their lifetime of labour come to fruition so clearly and directly. I believe he died a happy man.

This is true ... he really stayed the course and accomplished what he set out to do. Which is why so many respected him.

Smug Duckling

The sad part is that the NDP's gains will likely crumble without him. It's a testament to his personal charisma and sincerity that Canadians said that they trusted him the most to be PM at the last election. I'll miss him.

Richy

Smug Duckling wrote:

The sad part is that the NDP's gains will likely crumble without him. It's a testament to his personal charisma and sincerity that Canadians said that they trusted him the most to be PM at the last election. I'll miss him.

I don't know about that. With the election just passed, the NDP have four years to get a new leader and build them up.

Richy

The face of Canadian politics.

Gonmun

He's going to be sorely missed. He was really the one that drew me to the NDP once I was of age to vote. He was charismatic and while many say he kept repeating the message of "families, families, families" that was what really drew me to him as I'm a lower/middle class individual with a family. His energy and the way he spoke is something I'll remember him for, along with his message. You don't see that often anymore. My only regret is never getting a chance to see him in person when he was in the Maritimes.

quovadis13

Wow, did not expect this to happen so quickly. Awful news, he will be missed.

Gonmun

Just thought I'd post this as well, this was the highlight for me with the last election...

Ego

Damn. We'll miss you, Jack.

Diorinix

Many condolances to his family. Although I disagreed with some of his politics, I greatly respected him as a man and politician.

Grid System

What a loss. I hope the NDP finds the strength to build on the gains he led the party to.

Al_wat

This really sucks. He was a great man who definitely went before his time.

This at a time when Canada could really use strong voices from the left

Bamelin

He was the only leader that I felt "believed" what he was saying, rather than sounding like all normal crappy politicians.

Wank

RIP Jack, one of the few politicians who seemed like a genuinely good guy =(

DanHibiki

damn shitty news to start a Monday with. Such a loss to this country.

We'll miss you Jack.

Aridhol

Bummer...

Gonna miss those debates.

Pony

Probably one of the few actual honest politicians in the world, and now he's gone.

God damn shame.

Hamju

He really could have been Canada's next prime minister, and even though I didn't vote for him, I would have been totally ok with him running. I'm sad to see him gone. Any theories on who could possibly fill his shoes?

Hamju

whoops.jpg

oldmanken

Sad news to wake up to... he'll be missed.

Klash

This honestly makes me a bit frightened for the country. I thought Jack was the one guy who had a chance at calling out Conservatives. I don't know if the party without him can hold onto it's Opposition status, and I'd hate for yet another weak Liberal opposition down the line.

R.I.P. Layton, you got me to take a second look at Canadian politics and expect a Hell of a lot more from Canada.

Corvus

I knew this was coming when I saw him announce that he was stepping down temporarily as leader, but god damn, this sucks.

I think it's a measure of the character of the man that he wrote a letter to Canada expressing hope and optimism for the future when he was facing his end.

Jack Layton wrote:

A letter to Canadians from the Honourable Jack Layton

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

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.

All my very best,


Jack Layton

acidlacedpenguin

If I could only grow half the mustache Jack could I'm sure it would make me a better man.

Diorinix

That letter makes me tear up a bit, I have to be honest.

Saint Madness

I am in an onion cutting factory.

Bamelin

Letter added to OP. And yes I felt a little teary. Even at the end he was fighting the good fight for the party, which in many ways was more than just a party to him but represented the Canada he wanted for all of us.

I think I want that Canada too ...

Gonmun

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer

That was what started to get me teary eyed there. Even in facing such an...uphill battle he was able to try and give hope and encouragement to others. I think we've lost one of those few genuine people who go into politics to make things better for everyone. I have nothing but sympathy for his family.

Azio

Smug Duckling wrote:

The sad part is that the NDP's gains will likely crumble without him. It's a testament to his personal charisma and sincerity that Canadians said that they trusted him the most to be PM at the last election. I'll miss him.

Very doubtful, all those Quebecois voted for the NDP because they share the party's values and they want those values to have a voice in Parliament. They'll likely do it again. The challenge will be bridging the gap between social democrats in Quebec and those in the rest of the country. While Jack was instrumental in that process there are many talented people waiting to finish the job.

Anyway, here's a photo I took at a rally back in May.



RIP Jack

Saint Madness

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world.

He's right about this by the way.

In the, unfortunately likely, event that I find myself having to go abroad for work, Canada is my dream destination.

TubularLuggage

Truly a sad day. He will definitely be greatly missed.

s7apster

Corvus

:^:



Dude had style, even when he was sick.

Lucid

s7apster wrote:

This should be posted on every conservative campaign office everywhere.

Anyways, this was terrible news to wake up to this morning. He'll be missed.

Fireflash

Such a sad day. Even on his deathbed he still had his country's future in mind. Whether you agreed or not with his views and ideas, he was one of the few politicians that you could tell he cared more about making this country a better place rather than simply playing political power games. He should be an inspiration for any present or future politicians.

saggio

Jean

Very doubtful, all those Quebecois voted for the NDP because they share the party's values and they want those values to have a voice in Parliament.

Let's not kid ourselves here, lot of people voted NDP only because they liked Jack personally. His successor will have a very hard time filling up his shoes and repeating his May 2nd performance.

RIP Jack. You were one of the good guys and you'll be missed.

Nylonathetep

Like a farmer harvesting the best crops, God has taken from us one of our best. Althought I didn't vote NDP and I don't agree with what his party stands for, I can appreciate the rarity of an honest politician that truely speaks what he stands for. His death is a great lost not only to those that's dear to him, but to Canadian Politics and Canada as a whole. You'll be missed Jack, RIP.

Also enclosed a few more links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yscoDyETN38

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/22/reactions-to-the-death-of-jack-layton/

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/07/25/timeline-jack-laytons-political-career/

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1043073--tim-harper-layton-raised-the-political-bar?bn=1

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/08/22/kelly-mcparland-jack-laytons-passing-is-a-canadian-tragedy/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/state-funeral-for-jack-layton-to-be-held-saturday-in-toronto/article2138000/

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1043064--jack-layton-s-message-of-hope?bn=1

Ragnar Dragonfyre

Even though I didn't vote NDP, I can't deny that Jack had charisma and passion for what he did. It's a shame he died before having another shot at a federal vote. Who knows what would have happened in the next four years with him still at the helm of the official opposition.

Between his death and the appointment of a former Bloc member as the interim leader, it's a shame that the foothold the NDP have gained is likely to crumble. The people voted NDP because of Jack first and what they stood for second. Canada hasn't seen such a charismatic personality in parliament since Trudeau. His silver tongue single-handedly tore apart the Liberals and sent Ignatief back to the US with his tail between his legs... for that at least, I thank Jack.