Free Republic

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...

After the Governor-General delivered a Speech from the Throne on Friday that was entirely predictable as a recitation of Conservative campaign messages, Mr. Layton told reporters that he thought it was disappointing. Fair enough. You can’t expect him to say he thought it was a masterful piece of oratory behind which the whole country should unite. But he carried on. “This was really just a recitation of what they’ve said before,” he said. Or, put another way, the government was following through on its election promises. Then the reaction became stranger still. Mr. Layton complained that the Speech did not...

It’s only been five weeks but it seems like years since this election campaign began and I’m sick and tired of it. And, frankly, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. It can’t end soon enough for me. For a political junky to admit this is hard but, really, aren’t there a few words you hope you never have to hear again after Monday? * Majority government: Once upon a time, Stephen Harper wouldn’t let the “m” word pass his lips for fear of scaring voters. But since the first day of this campaign, he’s been dinning “majority”...

Updated Mon. Jan. 16 2006 11:41 PM ET With one week remaining before the election, the Conservatives have unleashed their own vicious television ad, but this time the target is Jack Layton and his New Democrat Party. The Tories have taken aim at Layton in the commercial, charging among other things that he is in favour of higher gas prices and legalizing drugs. The ad features a Jack Layton-style moustache and mouth digitally placed over the mouths of Canadians, with a male voice speaking. "I support legalized drugs," says the voice, speaking for a mother with her young child. "Who...

SASKATOON - The NDP is launching a television ad warning Canadians that Stephen Harper and Paul Martin want Canada to get too close to the U.S. NDP strategists say the ad is being released to coincide with Martin's meeting with Bush at the G-8 summit in Georgia. In the new ad, President George W. Bush is featured prominently alongside pictures of Martin and Harper. The message is that only NDP Leader Jack Layton can keep Canada from becoming too close to the United States. "Both Paul Martin and Stephen Harper want to move Canada closer to George Bush," the ad...

TORONTO - NDP Leader Jack Layton outlined a proposed $61 billion election platform Wednesday that would include five consecutive balanced budgets and tax increases for the wealthy. The left-of-centre party, long tagged as a tax-and-spend outfit, is eager to prove to Canadians it won't spend the country into deficit. "Our fiscal projections are reasonable and moderate," Layton said. "But if the money isn't there, we will change the time of our proposals so that we keep the budgets balanced." Layton pledged to reform the tax system and impose higher corporate and capital gains taxes. Other planks in the NDP platform:...