Jack Layton (1950-2011): a great Canadian says good-bye

Jack Layton (1950-2011): a great Canadian says good-bye

By acanuck on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 3:03pm |

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue. ...

URL:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/pol-layton-last-letter.html

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I miss him already. Not a perfect man - just a damned good one.

A terrible loss.

Beyond his fine, final letter... I suspect you'll be saving a copy of this.

;-)

RIP Brother Jack- The Happy Warrior.

by Qnonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 6:36pm

Thanks. A Montreal native, a McGill grad, a Habs fan, and a connoisseur of darkish beer -- it's astonishing our paths never crossed.

by acanuck on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 7:16pm

He was also a strident shouter who kept popping up at the worst times.

Oh wait. That would be me..... ;-)

God love him, I knew him a bit over the 20 years. He did an awful lot to make Toronto the city it is today - environmentally, multi-culturally, artistically, and in terms of its openness to gays and it's support for the homeless.

I just miss him. It really just feels unfair, a man who lived as healthily as he did, and gave so much, everyday, to others, and in such good humour. Would have loved to see him as that 80 year old twinkly "conscience of a nation" thing old NDP'ers develop.

by Qnonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 8:34pm

"Courage my friends.... 'tis never too late to build a better world."

Jack's e-mail tag, taken from Tommy Douglas.

by Qnonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 8:36pm

Did you see Christie Blatchford's opinion piece, which essentially accuses Jack of milking his own death for political advantage? Wow! A well-merited shitstorm descended, with commenters calling for a boycott of the National Post -- and its advertisers. She really hit a nerve. Let's see if she can feign humble groveling.

by acanuck on Tue, 08/23/2011 - 3:54am

Blatchford. What a dreadful woman. I think she's just pushed my stool chart all the way to 11.

Think I'll go lay some flowers instead.

by Qnonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/23/2011 - 10:56am

Speaking of Habs fans...

by Verified Atheist on Tue, 08/23/2011 - 11:05am

A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be a servant of society.
-Dalit activist "Babasaheb"

by artappraiser on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 7:38pm

Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square becomes a spontaneous chalk memorial:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lewolf011/6076393292/in/photostream/

by acanuck on Wed, 08/24/2011 - 4:43pm

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