I read the title and thought "So it's gone terminal?"and find out in the thread that no, he's dead.
Canadian politics won't be the same without him.
Good night sweet prince.
It's a dark day in Canadian politics.
[img]http://images.scribblelive.com/2011/8/22/5849fd74-fcce-4426-ab13-f670b587da5d_400.jpg[/img]
[b]E[/b]
Letter from Jack
[quote]Jack Layton's Letter:
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. 2
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[/quote]
Canada has just lost an incredibly important figure in politics. I see Layton as irreplaceable for what he has accomplished in recent times. It will be hard to find any one politician who can share the charisma and vision he had to lead his party to success. As everybody else has said, I hope the NDP can gather and push forward from this.
Oh hey, isn't that nice. The one guy who actually got my attention towards politics whereas I normally don't give a fuck has died.
Layton had a lot of good ideas. NDP's comprehensive prescription drug plan would have helped me and millions of other Canadians out. I hope they keep Layton alive through the party's values.
We will never have another politician with a mustache as great as his.
Rest in peace. I wonder if the NDP will go downwards from here, it's going to be hard to find a suitable replacement for him.
Layton was a genuinely nice guy, and as far as recent politicians go he had some quite good ideas for Canada. Sad he died, and cancer's a bad way to go. RIP.
I remember being at Vancouvers gay pride about 4 years ago, pointed out a pink Cadillac coming down the street and pointed it out to my mother saying its jack layton. She replies with no, it was fucking layton being amazing in a car full or transvestites. This man will surely be missed, one of the biggest reasons I vote NDP.
Why Jack Layton and not Harper? WHY!?!??!?!
RIP Jack
I myself am conservative. But Layton made a great opposition.
[editline]22nd August 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;31883209]Why Jack Layton and not Harper? WHY!?!??!?![/QUOTE]
This is not really appropriate. And you should be ashamed.
[QUOTE=Atlascore;31883538]That's just fucked up, first he lost the election then his life a few months later..
RIP.[/QUOTE]
It's the first time the NDP have ever been official opposition, so he did p good.
Well lets see how far Harper pushes in the face of no real opposition.
My guess is pretty god damn hard.
[QUOTE=matt54;31883584]I myself am progressive conservative.[/QUOTE]
the progressive conservative party doesn't exist anymore
[QUOTE=Zeke129;31883873]the progressive conservative party doesn't exist anymore[/QUOTE]
/fixed
[QUOTE=matt54;31883584]This is not really appropriate. And you should be ashamed.[/QUOTE]
But honestly, there are very few people I hate, and Stephen Harper might be one of them.
Jack Layton was an exceptional human being who had attained nearly enough power to do great things. Hopefully, as many have said already, great things will be achieved in his honor and memory. Jack Layton is the reason I finally decided to vote. We'll miss you buddy.
[QUOTE=matt54;31883897]/fixed[/QUOTE]
k thanks for not wanting me to be able to marry someone I love or be able to afford medical treatment
If anything, this should give NDP and NDP supporters even more reason for hope. Sure, Canada has lost a great man, but you shouldn't lose hope over it. Fight that much harder for him.
[QUOTE=matt54;31883584]I myself am conservative. But Layton made a great opposition.
[editline]22nd August 2011[/editline]
This is not really appropriate. And you should be ashamed.[/QUOTE]
Yes it is, Stephen Harper is a fucking idiot and I'd rather him die then Layton.
Aw fuck :(
I'm genuinely saddened by the news of this. Jack Layton was an awesome guy.
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;31884039]Yes it is, Stephen Harper is a fucking idiot and I'd rather him die then Layton.[/QUOTE]
He is still our Prime Minister. Can you state one reason why you feel this way. In my opinion none of them have did anything to deserve death. Thus is why I am saying you should be ashamed.
I might not like Stephen Harper but I don't stoop as low as to wish death on my political opponents.
[QUOTE=matt54;31884185]He is still our Prime Minister. Can you state one reason why you feel this way. In my opinion none of them have did anything to deserve death. Thus is why I am saying you should be ashamed.[/QUOTE]
My bet that in the next few months he's going to push everything he wants through with very little opposition may not make him deserve death, but he's already a scumbag, that's not going to change.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;31884260]My bet that in the next few months he's going to push everything he wants through with very little opposition may not make him deserve death, but he's already a scumbag, that's not going to change.[/QUOTE]
Nah, you're right, he doesn't deserve death.
Or office.
Harper is against everything Canada stands for; peace, prosperity, community, compassion, multiculturalism, equality, and freedom
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;31884260]My bet that in the next few months he's going to push everything he wants through with very little opposition may not make him deserve death, but he's already a scumbag, that's not going to change.[/QUOTE]
Majority of Canadians voted Harper in. I am not saying you are right or wrong. But the justification behind the statement was very harsh and uncalled for. You are also not talking in hindsight. So everything you just said is accusation and not accurate in any sense. Layton stepped down 2 months ago, and since then, Harper has not did anything drastic.
Oh shit, this is starting to look like its going to change into a Political "debate" thread.
[b] edit: [/b]
Matt54 I respect that your standings,
but your really shouldn't have posted that your a conservative in a thread about the NDP's leader dying.
shitstorm fuel.
[QUOTE=matt54;31884452]Majority of Canadians voted Harper in.[/QUOTE]No, the conservative party got 40% of the votes, which is not a majority.
[QUOTE=matt54;31884452][b]Majority of Canadians voted Harper in.[/b] I am not saying you are right or wrong. But the justification behind the statement was very harsh and uncalled for. You are also not talking in hindsight. So everything you just said is accusation and not accurate in any sense. Layton stepped down 2 months ago, and since then, Harper has not did anything drastic.[/QUOTE]
no they did not. and while yes, it's true he hasn't pushed anything through yet, what's to stop him now that he has no real opposition? No one's going to take Jack's place anytime soon, does Harper really have to worry about what he's trying to pass now?
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