Jack Layton's 'passion, civility' honoured at funeral - Polidicks

[quote=CBC]Jack Layton's family, friends and politicians from all parties joined thousands of members of the public to celebrate the life of the NDP leader at a state funeral Saturday in Toronto, where he was hailed as a caring, passionate voice in Canadian politics who died "at the pinnacle of his career." The funeral began after an emotional procession through downtown Toronto. Thousands of well-wishers — some wearing NDP orange —cheered and clapped alongside the procession route while bagpipes played and Layton's flag-draped coffin passed by on its way from City Hall to Roy Thomson Hall. Layton's widow, NDP MP Olivia Chow and his children Sarah and Mike, a Toronto city councillor, followed the hearse on foot. While the family entered and took their seats in the concert hall, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra played Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" as people in the packed hall stood. "I'm sad, we're sad. But let us not look behind us, let's look forward," Chow said, wiping back tears, as part of a video tribute tracing her husband's path to power. "We are overwhelmed by the incredible support you have shown us. We are proud to have shared our father with you," Mike Layton said during his eulogy alongside his sister, Sarah Layton. Mike Layton shared with the crowd memories of his "loving dad" who urged people to "have a dream that is longer than a lifetime." "My dad lived life to the fullest," Layton's daughter said. While she noted her father's many accomplishments, she said he was particularly proud to become a grandfather. She also praised Chow as her father's "soul mate." The service included readings from the Qur'an and the Bible. In his euology, former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis mourned the fact that Layton died "at the pinnacle of his career." Lewis said Layton's personal and political style was "so civil, so accessible." The crowd gave a standing ovation when Lewis praised Layton's last letter to Canadians, which he said "was at its heart a manifesto for social democracy." Singer Lorraine Segato also brought the crowd to their feet with a performance of her group The Parachute Club's 1980's pop anthem, "Rise Up." [h2]'Man of the people'[/h2] Earlier in the service, Shawn Atleo, National Chief for the Assembly of First Nations, offered an aboriginal bessing, calling Layton "a man of the people." Layton, the leader of the Official Opposition, died of cancer at his Toronto home on Monday at age 61. Just before the service began, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that Canadians had witnessed an "extraordinary and emotional week." Also speaking beforehand was Gov. Gen. David Johnston who called the service a time to "celebrate a remarkable life of leadership." "It is so important in our system to have a clear and passionate voice for the ordinary person, and Mr. Layton was that person," Johnston said. About 1,700 invited guests are attending the funeral along with 700 members of the public who lined up for first-come, first-serve seats as early as Friday afternoon. Some of the guests attending include: The Govenor General and his wife, Sharon. The Prime Minister and his wife, Laureen. Interim NDP Leader Nycole Turmel. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae. Interim Bloc Québécois Leader Louis Plamondon. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Former Liberal leaders Michael Ignatieff and Stéphane Dion. Former Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe. Former prime minister Paul Martin. Former prime minister Jean Chrétien. Former NDP leaders Alexa McDonough and Ed Broadbent. McDonough, Broadbent and Doer are among the 16 honorary pallbearers. Over 6,000 members of the public filed past Layton's casket on Friday in Toronto, just as they did in Ottawa on Wednesday and Thursday. Hundreds line up on a fog-filled morning Saturday morning to get access to the funeral for NDP Leader Jack Layton at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall. Andrew Davidson/CBC Toronto residents' affection for Layton has been clear since his death, with tributes and well-wishers leaving flowers and mementoes at Layton's constituency office, his home, and at city hall — where a single chalk message scrawled on the concrete wall of a raised walkway became a large-scale memorial, with hundreds of messages written in chalk. The city's CN Tower will be lit in orange from sundown Saturday until sunrise Sunday in honour of the late NDP leader. Layton's body will be cremated and his ashes will be spread in three different locations in the coming days: Wyman United Church cemetery in Hudson, Que., where his father and maternal grandparents are buried. Toronto Island, where he and Chow were married. St. James' Cemetery in Toronto. At the Quebec and Toronto Island locations, his ashes will spread where a memorial tree is planted.[/quote] [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/08/27/jack-layton-state-funeral-toronto.html]Source[/url] [img]http://gyazo.com/03fbd33b9031defc1b5e7cc8b4f521f0.png[/img] [img]http://gyazo.com/d50c9a8cf51a0c5a00f3620c63c521c9.png[/img] [img]http://gyazo.com/62330fa90f598ce88ff2570c8f40a0cb.png[/img] [img]http://gyazo.com/c7235f16eca7e0a0761906badc87e52b.png[/img] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HpkQzOti-o&feature=player_detailpage[/media] Farewell Jack, you be missed from coast to coast to coast.

I only hope the NDP can find a new leader as charismatic as Jack to build on the momentum he started. He was the best PM Canada never had.

Also, the name of the bagpipe music is called Going home. Just to let you guys know. [video=youtube;aPiqWzHiPmQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPiqWzHiPmQ[/video]

So emotional, so uplifting. Jack, you will be missed

lol, I watched the whole thing and never noticed Darrell Dexter (Premier of Nova Scotia) sitting directly behind Olivia Chow, I suppose the NDP must be proud of their few provincial governments.

[QUOTE=Novistador;31977622]lol, I watched the whole thing and never noticed Darrell Dexter sitting directly behind Olivia Chow, I suppose the NDP must be proud of their few provincial governments.[/QUOTE] I think they're most proud of going from basically a fringe party to the official opposition in one election

[QUOTE=Novistador;31977622]lol, I watched the whole thing and never noticed Darrell Dexter (Premier of Nova Scotia) sitting directly behind Olivia Chow, I suppose the NDP must be proud of their few provincial governments.[/QUOTE] Still not happy with Dexter. Provincial NDPs raised the sales tax when they said they wouldn't. :C

and down went any positive hope for canada's political future for the next 15 years

[QUOTE=OogalaBoogal;31981444]Still not happy with Dexter. Provincial NDPs raised the sales tax when they said they wouldn't. :C[/QUOTE] As far as I can tell very few people on the left have a good opinion of Dexter or his government, I know the newspaper The Coast has run quite a few op eds and editorial cartoons rippin on him pretty bad. Really all I've heard about him is that he's made all kinds of cuts and acted a lot more like a conservative than an NDP, which I personally find hilarious.

Rest in peace bro

See ya upstairs buddy, you were a good man.

[QUOTE=The golden;31983358]Every time I think about how terrible Harper is I think to myself: "Well, at least he's not a Republican."[/QUOTE] He's damn close to it.

[QUOTE=RoflKawpter;31983503]He's damn close to it.[/QUOTE] Not really, I mean, he's probably privately something very close to a republican, but everyone in Canada knows that if you were to ever start campaigning for the old republican pet issues like banning gay marriage, banning abortion, preventing evolution from being taught in schools, and starting more wars it would be absolute political suicide. I can't remember the last time the Conservatives actually ran in an election on a campaign based on actual issues, as opposed to stupid fear mongering ( ie, MICHAEL IGNATIEFF THE SCARY FOREIGNER AND HIS DANGEROUS COALITION) and pictures of harper in stupid outfits (ie, the leather cowboy outfit, the sweater, the picture of him holding a kitten by a fireplace)

[video=youtube;OdHpRAad_-g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdHpRAad_-g[/video] His love will remain with us, Let us light a candle tonight.

[QUOTE=Novistador;31983742]but everyone in Canada knows that if you were to ever start campaigning for the old republican pet issues like banning gay marriage, banning abortion, preventing evolution from being taught in schools, and starting more wars it would be absolute political suicide. [/QUOTE] They actually tried many of those things They failed

[QUOTE=Novistador;31983742]Not really, I mean, he's probably privately something very close to a republican, but everyone in Canada knows that if you were to ever start campaigning for the old republican pet issues like banning gay marriage, banning abortion, preventing evolution from being taught in schools, and starting more wars it would be absolute political suicide. I can't remember the last time the Conservatives actually ran in an election on a campaign based on actual issues, as opposed to stupid fear mongering ( ie, MICHAEL IGNATIEFF THE SCARY FOREIGNER AND HIS DANGEROUS COALITION) and pictures of sharper in stupid outfits (ie, the leather cowboy outfit, the sweater, the picture of him holding a kitten by a fireplace)[/QUOTE] That kitten picture is hilarious. [img]http://canadawry.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/stephen-harper-kitten.jpg[/img] HOW COULD YOU DISLIKE SUCH AN HONEST MAN?

[QUOTE=Micr0;31988740]That kitten picture is hilarious. [img]http://canadawry.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/stephen-harper-kitten.jpg[/img] HOW COULD YOU DISLIKE SUCH AN HONEST MAN?[/QUOTE] The kitten's running things behind the scenes, you know. I have an inside source.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;31987722]They actually tried many of those things They failed[/QUOTE] If I'm not mistaken when the current Liberal Government decided not to get involved in the invasion of Iraq, Harper imediatly ran across the border and held a press conference where he publicly apologized the Americans on behalf of Canada.