Jack Layton Dead at 61

[radiofan]

Opposition Leader Jack Layton dead at 61
JANE TABER
Ottawa— Globe and Mail Update
Published Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 8:41AM EDT
Last updated Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 10:17AM EDT

Jack Layton lost his biggest battle early Monday morning, succumbing to cancer. He was 61.

Surrounded by his wife, NDP MP Olivia Chow, other family members and friends, Mr. Layton died “peacefully at his home,” according to a statement issued by his wife and children Monday.

Mr. Layton looked gaunt, his voice very weak, when he held a news conference last month in Toronto to announce he was suffering from a second cancer. He vowed, then, that he would be back to work when the House of Commons resumed on Sept. 19.

He did not reveal what that cancer was. It is still not known.

At that time, he asked his caucus to accept a rookie MP, Nycole Turmel, as interim leader. It is not clear now whether she will continue in that role or how a formal leadership transition will work.

A popular politician – nicknamed Smiling Jack, for his charm and enthusiasm with life and politics – Mr. Layton orchestrated his party going from third place to Official Opposition status in the May 2 election.

Although he had been fighting a prostate cancer diagnosis and a fractured hip, he appeared healthy during the campaign. In fact, the cane he used to support himself became a lightning rod as the party’s support grew and grew.

The NDP victory in the election was based primarily on a huge breakthrough in Quebec and the collapse of the Bloc Québécois

In an lengthy interview with The Globe and Mail the day before the government fell last March, Mr. Layton said that he was fine, did not know why his hip had fractured but said the cancer had not spread.

He had led the NDP since 2003, and had just turned 61 on July 18.

In a statement Monday, Governor-General David Johnston said of Mr. Layton: "He dedicated his life to serving his fellow citizens. He did this with so much grace. He will be missed.‬"

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae also offered condolences, saying he and his wife, Arlene, “are deeply saddened” by Mr. Layton’s death.

“He was a friend of ours for many years, and despite our political differences his decency, good humour and extraordinary resilience earned our deep admiration,” Mr. Rae said. “We remained friends throughout our political lives.”

Mr. Rae was once an NDP MP and served as NDP premier of Ontario.

“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary Caucus, I express our deep condolences to Olivia and Jack's family, as well as to his colleagues and friends in the New Democratic Party,” he said in his statement.” “He leaves a powerful legacy of a commitment to social justice in his work in Toronto as a city councillor and as a national leader.

Mr. Rae ended his statement with this: “Peace and comfort to all. When David Lewis passed away Stanley Knowles ended his eulogy with the words 'shalom chaver, shalom.' Peace, brother, peace."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le2137070/

[Russ_Byth]

Political stripes aside, we've lost a great Canadian who stuck to his beliefs.

[Neumann Sennheiser]

As much as we'd all agree that death is an inescapable part of life cancer is, tragically, a major partner of death itself. A family doctor once told me in conversation on the subject that he believed that cancer was inevitable. If you lived long enough you'd get some form of it.
Coincidentally, I'm just now on the final dozen pages of Lionel Shriver's best selling book So Much For That.
While struggling through the financial and emotional cost of "battling" his wife's cancer, the protagonist comes to believe that the medical company line of "battling" cancer comes up sadly short. His epiphany is you don't fight a war with cancer anymore than you would fight a war with the weather.
Having been bedside to the end with more than one loved one, I'm not sure how true that really is, defeatism likely can never be a truly righteous path but there is a freedom in acceptance too.
Be at peace Jack. You served your country and your fellow man most proudly.
My heart goes out to Ms Chow and the other family and friends who still have a load to bear.

[jon]

A family doctor once told me in conversation on the subject that he believed that cancer was inevitable. If you lived long enough you'd get some form of it.

My family doctor's brother is at the forefront of cancer research. Recently, he told me that current medical thought is that, if all other forms of aging were addressed but there was no cure found for cancer, everyone would get a fatal case of cancer by age 200.

[hagopian]

Although I disagreed on a number of issues, with Mr. Layton, I couldn't help but like and respect him.
This is a great loss for all Canadians, and I wish to convey my heartfelt best to all of the extended Layton Family, his wife, Mrs. Chow and also to all of his friends and coworkers.

This was a great man. He fulfilled his destiny - he cared about and loved his Family, and his Country enough that he worked literally to his dying day to make this a better place.

Far too few Jack Layton's on the horizon.

I suggest a permanent House of Commons grant be set up for a student - to be given yearly to a deserving student of Politics with a burning desire to be part of the solution.

Be at rest, Mr. Layton.

George Harrison told Paul McCartney, just before Mr.Harrison passed, that Death is like getting out of one cab and into another.

I hope Mr. Layton's new cab is orange.

[Paul P]

As I've heard a few say, Jack Layton was a 'people person' before he was a politician.
A shame he is gone before he reached his full potential.
RIP

[radiofan]

The best prime minister we never had.

[CKNF]

The best prime minister we never had.

Although I am not a big supporter of the NDP, I have an admiration for this gentleman. He was a man who stuck to his convictions and was truly a great Canadian, fighting for Canadians.

Canada, we've lost a friend...