This morning it was announced that our leader of the official opposition, Jack Layton, passed away after a long, well fought battle with cancer at the age of 61. I'm watching CBC News Network right now and they showed that the flag on Parliament Hill, on the Peace Tower is now officially at half mast.
Being the leader of the New Democratic Party wasn't just his job or something he did, it was who he was. What I saw in him was a man that was real no matter what he did. He was honest and good.
I remember meeting him when I was a teenager at a meeting in the Danforth area for those who opposed the Harris government cuts to education. Jack was a Toronto city councillor then and he was so nice to me. He listened to me like everything I had to say was important to him, because it was. Although it was a brief conversation, he talked with me not at or to me. I felt like my opnion mattered to him and that's how he was with everyone I think. Everyone mattered and his heart was so full for the needs of every single person.
Jack, as a regular Toronto Pride Parade participant was walking up Church Street with Olivia after the parade, just like every other resident did during Pride 2007(but it might have been Pride 2005) and I was explaining the above story to my husband and as my husband said, "Who's Jack Layton?" Jack had to move out of my husband's way and I scolded, "The man you nearly just knocked over! I can't believe you almost knocked over Jack." and then I proceeded to holler, "Sorry Jack!" You see, he was so involved with the community that he walked through large events like he was just any regular guy. I believe he was a regular guy that took all those things and combined them with his charisma to forge the amazing man that became the man that led the NDP to an historic place in Canada. Everyone loved him, because he was real. Whether you were NDP, Liberal, Conservative, Green, or Bloc, you respected and knew that Jack Layton was the real deal.
Heaven is a brighter place today with his addition and I can only pray for Olivia and his family and close friends that they are brought through this time with a sense of peace. It might be a sad day for us, but it is a mucher sadder day for them and I think it's important to respect them as they grieve.
Jack Layton's 2008 interview and bio with George Stroumboulopoulos on TheHour via YouTube:
1 comments:
Yes, this is such terrible news. For everyone -- his family, the NDP and Canada.
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