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Uke


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Bill Mann

Aug. 23, 2011, 9:11 a.m. EDT

Canada loses a class act in Jack Layton

Commentary: Opposition leader was universally liked, respected

By Bill Mann, MarketWatch

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. (MarketWatch) The sudden death of Canadas opposition leader, Jack Layton, at age 61, has shocked and saddened Canadians of all political stripes. Laytons passing early Monday was such a surprise that the Canadian Broadcast Corporations TV network ran wall-to-wall live coverage of reaction to it.

He gave his life for his country, intoned CBC lead anchor Peter Mansbridge of Layton, who had won his biggest victory just a few weeks ago by making his New Democratic Party the official opposition party for the first time in its 50-year history.


Reuters
Jack Layton, who led the New Democratic Party to a surprise second-place showing in May, died Monday.

Its hard to imagine any American politician being as universally well-liked today as the ever-beaming Layton, who charmed crowds across Canada this spring with his genuine-looking, 500-watt smile during the recent campaign. Layton was the ultimate Happy Warrior, and represented the best in politics today even as he campaigned, even in physical pain.

Layton had surprised and saddened Canadians on July 25 when he held a press conference announcing that he was temporarily stepping down from his job as Opposition Leader in Ottawa because hed developed a second form of cancer. At that Toronto press conference, Layton appeared gaunt and fragile. But even so, it was clear from the reaction of the Canadian press and public Monday morning that few had expected Layton to pass away so soon.

Laytons widow, Olivia Chow, is also an NDP member of Parliament from Toronto.

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Its hard to imagine an American saying the kind of things being said Monday about a federal politician. For example, one commenter (HabsFan69) in the Toronto Globe and Mail said Monday morning: I didnt vote for him, but I really liked him. Jack Layton was a true Canadian.

It was easy to disagree with Laytons decidedly left-of-center political views and still like the avuncular politician personally. This was obvious in the CBCs live coverage, some of it from the Canadian Medical Associations annual convention being held in St. Johns, Newfoundland, where a number of Canadian MPs were in attendance.

Deputy NDP leader Libby Davis was in tears when hearing of Laytons death, saying, He was a great Canadian. He gave his life to his country.

The CBCs estimable Mansbridge, who could be described as the Walter Cronkite of Canada, said Monday morning that many politicians, given the health problems Jack Layton had, would have chosen to stay home and not campaign this spring.

I watched both televised federal election debates on CBC this spring, in English and French, and the enthusiastic, likeable Layton clearly won both, besting dull-looking Prime Minister Stephen Harper and beetle-browed, bookish Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.

Laytons popularity was largely responsible for the NDPs stunning gains last May, when his NDP virtually wiped out the separatist Bloc Quebecois party in its home base, winning 90 percent of all the federal seats from that French-speaking province. The Layton-led NDP also delivered a stunning blow to the Liberals nationally, replacing the Ls as the opposition in Ottawa.

Layton was also recovering from hip-replacement surgery, and used a cane during his campaign. The specific type of cancer that claimed Laytons life hasnt been revealed.

Layton had politics in his blood. His great-great uncle William Steeves was a Father of Canadian Confederation. His great-grandfather Philip Layton came to Canada from Britain as a blind teenager and helped pressure the federal government to bring in a $25-a-month pension for the blind.

His grandfather, Gilbert Layton, was a Quebec cabinet minister, his father Robert Layton a cabinet minister in Brian Mulroneys Conservative government. Laytons son Michael is a Toronto city councilman.

Layton started in politics by teaching political science at the University of Toronto, York University, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in Toronto in 1991. He twice failed to win a seat in the House of Commons that decade. But he kept fighting just like he did this year.

Every poll Ive seen lately has shown Layton as the most-liked politician in Canada.

The NDPs interim leader, Nycole Turmel, wont be nearly as popular: Shes a former union leader who was also a card-carrying member of the separatist Parti Quebecois in the 1970s.

But genial Jack Layton will be remembered fondly as a unifier, not a divider.

Its too bad the U.S. doesnt have a politician of national stature like Jack Layton someone whom just about everyone likes, even if they dont always agree with him.

Layton provided the best example of why Americans have a lot to learn from Canadians about practicing civility in national politics.

It may sound trite, but with the passing of Jack Layton, Canada has lost a national treasure.



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Huge loss. The man actually had a conscience and played the dirty game of Canadian politics full court press 24/7. A true champion of of social justice. Some controversial beliefs for sure, but he wore them on his sleeve. Whadja expect from a guy born in Montreal living in Toronto. Even his enemies in the house of commons respected him. Cancer is a bitch and the good die young is what happened right there.

 



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http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/pol-layton-last-letter.html

I was never a NDP fan, mind you I don't really cheer or support any politician but Layton was a good man, who tried his best for Canada. God rest his soul

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Sorry steamer, couldn't read the article... Used your URL, but the site (CBC.com) said the thing was unavailable.

However Layton sounds like the guy ta have keeping a sharp eye out for dishonesty in the halls of parliament.

I wish that we'd've followed the British system, in that an opposition, and third parties, independents, etc., were allowed a dissenting voice in the back benches. Most US politicos stand and are counted when it's time for reelection, or money raising...

A sad state of affairs for working class folks without a voice.

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