Posted on 08/22/2011 9:39:09 AM PDT by fanfan
OTTAWA - Jack Layton, the leader of the official Opposition, died early Monday morning, his family said.
Layton, 61, had been battling cancer for more than a year and, a month ago, announced he was temporarily stepping aside from his job to fight the disease.
Layton's immediate family -- his wife, MP Olivia Chow, and his children, Sarah and Michael -- issued a statement at about 8:30 a.m. Monday morning.
"We deeply regret to inform you that The Honourable Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, passed away at 4:45 am today, Monday, Aug. 22. He passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and loved ones. Details of Mr. Layton's funeral arrangements will be forthcoming."
Earlier this year, Layton led the New Democratic Party to its best electoral showing in the party's history.
Quebec MP Nycole Turmel had temporarily assumed leadership duties when Layton stepped aside last month.
Layton was born July 18, 1950 in Montreal and was raised in Hudson, Que. His father, Robert Layton, was a Progressive Conservative cabinet member and his grandfather, Gilbert Layton, was a Quebec cabinet minister.
Layton studied political science at McGill University before moving to Toronto in 1970 to continue his studies. He obtained his PhD in political science from York University and then became a professor at Ryerson University.
His political career began when he became a city councillor in Toronto in
1982 and served as acting deputy mayor and as a member of the Toronto Port Authority. He opposed the building of the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) and also opposed Toronto's bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
He ran for mayor in 1991, but lost to June Rowlands. He became head of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities before moving into federal politics.
Layton took over for Alexa McDonough to become leader of the New Democrats in 2003, and was elected MP for the Toronto-Danforth riding in June 2004.
Since then, Layton has been the face of the party, and led them to new heights of success in the most recent election when the NDP ascended to the ranks of official opposition for the first time.
Layton married his high school sweetheart, Sally Halford, in 1969 when he was 19. They had two children together but the marriage ended in 1983.
He married Olivia Chow in 1988. Shortly after the wedding, Chow joined Layton on Toronto council. She also became an NDP MP in 2006. He became a grandfather in the summer of 2009.
Layton has had a public struggle with cancer since announcing on Feb. 5, 2010, that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
His father had also had prostate cancer 17 years earlier and recovered from it. His wife, Chow, also battled thyroid cancer.
Layton vowed to defeat it.
"Like my dad, I am a fighter and I am going to beat this," Layton told reporters.
But last month, Layton called a press conference in Toronto to announce he was battling a new cancer and would be stepping down temporarily from the NDP leadership to focus on his health.
Glad I’m not the only one who understands this, here.
Thanks.
RIP.
Thank you, that’s very interesting.
btw, I have always wondered about your tag line. I respect your devotion to your friend.
bump that Para-Ord...
and like SirHale, i dont much see all the 'shades of gray' that others wanna tiptoe around with...a commie is a commie is a commie, and eff em all...
im to a point where i can no longer tolerate those who would kill me and my children by legislative stealth as quickly, if not moreso than if they were handed a rifle and given the choice between offin us and a loaf of bread...
fatdeadted of olsmobile fame would be fair game, but a murdering [legislatively, at least] scumbag from up north gets the *respectful* sendoff as some sort of dignitary...???
once upon a time, Americans would shoot commies/socialists/tyrannical oppressive a-holes, not cry for em...
“Now he works for the CRTC. That’s not exactly something to be proud of.”
Well, I disagree with many of the CRTC’s positions, but I am proud of my husband and what he has accomplished. I haven’t done the same (been able to rise to top positions and be able to speak and write French). I understand French and interview people all the time, but I can’t write it.
As an American who lived in Canada for seven years (Mount Allison, Class of 1985) I always despised the 40% domestic content rule. That proved to me that the ruling liberal class of Canadians were incredibly controlling and insecure.
a lot of us are former military men, but that doesn’t prevent us from showing a shred of humanity.
Thanks, Laz. Well said.
Let's have it now, while I'm alive, so I can at least enjoy it!
You'd think "our" side would know better than to have sympathy for the Devil.
Liberals are evil. They make a grand attempt at normalizing evil, and bringing us all to the same low standard. As long as they’re unrepentant and practicing evil, the more that die off the better. Ditto for those that sympathize, enable, and support them willingly in any way.
This whole episode has been ridiculous.
Roger that, bro.
bump
decency?
Caught in bed with an underage hooker and wanted more abortions?
decency?
basically outlawing opposition (see Steyn, Levant) speech to the point of throwing the book at a comedian over a gay joke aimed at a heckler is not hardball?
Things are so bad in Canada that the “conservatives” are to the left of the democrats. We than a choice between liberals and socialists and your democrats (AKA the conservatives).
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