Why Jack Layton Mattered to Me
I really thought he'd win again. It seemed impossible that he wouldn't. He'd fought prostate cancer and won. He'd kicked ass in the federal election. Jack Layton is the man who just keeps getting back up. It didn't even occur to me that he wouldn't fight this and win.
And I'm stunned. I'm stunned that he's gone, and I'm stunned at how upset I am about this. He was the orange knight who was supposed to come back to the House in September and fight for us, protect us against the Conservative dragons.
I have never met Jack Layton. But he did something I didn't think was possible. He made me - and my generation - hopeful about Canadian politics again. During the federal election, my Facebook page was a sea of orange. People were engaged, interested, and best of all, hopeful. We had someone to back. And he was a fighter. He was here at just the right time - someone so likeable that was an alternative to the man with souless eyes and the other guy with that creepy smile.
And he really was likeable. Even people who don't agree with his politics loved him. You wanted to shake his hand.
Layton has had a fantastic career, and I'm not trying to diminish any work he's done when I say this, but he was just getting started. That's why I'm so sad. The only other time I've really been affected by a politician's death was when Trudeau died. I was sad that it was the end of an era, and that a fantastic personality was gone. But his work was done. Jack's was just beginning. And I was so excited about witnessing it.
And I'm stunned. I'm stunned that he's gone, and I'm stunned at how upset I am about this. He was the orange knight who was supposed to come back to the House in September and fight for us, protect us against the Conservative dragons.
I have never met Jack Layton. But he did something I didn't think was possible. He made me - and my generation - hopeful about Canadian politics again. During the federal election, my Facebook page was a sea of orange. People were engaged, interested, and best of all, hopeful. We had someone to back. And he was a fighter. He was here at just the right time - someone so likeable that was an alternative to the man with souless eyes and the other guy with that creepy smile.
And he really was likeable. Even people who don't agree with his politics loved him. You wanted to shake his hand.
Layton has had a fantastic career, and I'm not trying to diminish any work he's done when I say this, but he was just getting started. That's why I'm so sad. The only other time I've really been affected by a politician's death was when Trudeau died. I was sad that it was the end of an era, and that a fantastic personality was gone. But his work was done. Jack's was just beginning. And I was so excited about witnessing it.