Jack Layton's Death
I thought I should write a little something about Jack Layton, leader of the NDP who (as every Canadian knows) died of cancer early in the morning yesterday.
Normally I don't feel very much when celebrities or political figures die. However, as with most left-leaning Canadians, I've been feeling very glum since he passed away. I went to an impromptu candlelight memorial in downtown Vancouver last night where I think most of the people felt the same way--I saw a lot of sad faces and wet eyes. I cried a bit when local NDP Members of Parliament Don Davies and Jinny Sims stood on some stairs an called out eulogies about what a down-to-earth and just guy he was.
I can only hope that in his last days he felt some satisfaction at leading the New Democrats from the political margins to their first time as Official Opposition, without compromising their beliefs too much (although some of my friends might argue, and the have some valid points). Of course he must have taken heart in the thousands of cards and online messages people sent him after it was announced a few weeks ago that he had come down with a new form of cancer. I myself sent him one simply saying "Jack, you're the best!"
I do have faith that the rest of the party will carry on and do some good things. Still, I can't help but feel a bit hopeless. Think about it--the prime minister, who many of you will agree is a very disagreeable character, faces the two other major parties which have both lost their leaders since the election, neither with a clear contender for replacement. The next smallest party which couldn't even get enough seats to have official party status (the Bloc Quebecois) also saw their leader resign immediately after the election. The only party which still has its "leader" are the Greens, who ONLY managed to get their leader elected.
I'm not one of those people who sees our current prime minister as the arch-manipulator who destroys opposition by feeding them to one another--sure, he's opportunistic but I don't think he's particularly clever, simply riding political trends and demographics successfully. But I still feel a bit hopeless that there is such shattered opposition to him.
Back to Jack Layton, I never actually met him, although seemingly everyone I know has. One of my close friends 7 or so years ago was his personal assistant for a few years. Another person I know was his speechwriter for a time, I'm told. And many people online have been coming forward with humorous anecdotes about the time they bumped into Jack Layton. (Even Dr.Dri has a funny story about him canvassing for a byelection in a vegetarian restaurant in Ottawa and saying something to her table like "Hey sisters--plotting a revolution? Hehe.." It seemed tacky at the time, but I can't help but even chuckle at that now.)
Rest in peace, Jack Layton. One of Canada's few largely virtuous and kind politicians.
Normally I don't feel very much when celebrities or political figures die. However, as with most left-leaning Canadians, I've been feeling very glum since he passed away. I went to an impromptu candlelight memorial in downtown Vancouver last night where I think most of the people felt the same way--I saw a lot of sad faces and wet eyes. I cried a bit when local NDP Members of Parliament Don Davies and Jinny Sims stood on some stairs an called out eulogies about what a down-to-earth and just guy he was.
I can only hope that in his last days he felt some satisfaction at leading the New Democrats from the political margins to their first time as Official Opposition, without compromising their beliefs too much (although some of my friends might argue, and the have some valid points). Of course he must have taken heart in the thousands of cards and online messages people sent him after it was announced a few weeks ago that he had come down with a new form of cancer. I myself sent him one simply saying "Jack, you're the best!"
I do have faith that the rest of the party will carry on and do some good things. Still, I can't help but feel a bit hopeless. Think about it--the prime minister, who many of you will agree is a very disagreeable character, faces the two other major parties which have both lost their leaders since the election, neither with a clear contender for replacement. The next smallest party which couldn't even get enough seats to have official party status (the Bloc Quebecois) also saw their leader resign immediately after the election. The only party which still has its "leader" are the Greens, who ONLY managed to get their leader elected.
I'm not one of those people who sees our current prime minister as the arch-manipulator who destroys opposition by feeding them to one another--sure, he's opportunistic but I don't think he's particularly clever, simply riding political trends and demographics successfully. But I still feel a bit hopeless that there is such shattered opposition to him.
Back to Jack Layton, I never actually met him, although seemingly everyone I know has. One of my close friends 7 or so years ago was his personal assistant for a few years. Another person I know was his speechwriter for a time, I'm told. And many people online have been coming forward with humorous anecdotes about the time they bumped into Jack Layton. (Even Dr.Dri has a funny story about him canvassing for a byelection in a vegetarian restaurant in Ottawa and saying something to her table like "Hey sisters--plotting a revolution? Hehe.." It seemed tacky at the time, but I can't help but even chuckle at that now.)
Rest in peace, Jack Layton. One of Canada's few largely virtuous and kind politicians.