For those of you less inclined to follow matters north of the border, you may not have taken note of the fact that Canada's Opposition Leader, Jack Layton, lost his battle with cancer early this morning.
I've always been somewhat fascinated by Canadian politics, mostly because even though they share so much in common with Americans, they have largely managed to avoid turning their government into the nasty cesspool of personal attacks and partisan garbage that we are made to endure.
Jack Layton was an exceptional embodiment of that; a politician with big smile and bigger ideas who appealed to the individual's better sense of self. While the party he led, the New Democratic Party, has traditionally been a third wheel in Canada's federal government, Layton never used that an excuse to hurl personal invective at his opponents. Rather, he was known to forbid the practice by his caucusmates.
Perhaps then it is only fitting that in Canada's federal election in May, Layton led the NDP to its best showing ever, nearly tripling its seats in Parliament and becoming the first NDP head to serve as Opposition Leader. Maybe there is a better way to do things after all.
Layton wrote a letter to Canadians over the weekend to be released upon his passing. In a time of heightened cynicism, it is a pleasant and necessary reminder that public service can still be a noble calling undertaken by noble people.
20110820 Letter to Cdns From Jack Layton En
I've always been somewhat fascinated by Canadian politics, mostly because even though they share so much in common with Americans, they have largely managed to avoid turning their government into the nasty cesspool of personal attacks and partisan garbage that we are made to endure.
Jack Layton was an exceptional embodiment of that; a politician with big smile and bigger ideas who appealed to the individual's better sense of self. While the party he led, the New Democratic Party, has traditionally been a third wheel in Canada's federal government, Layton never used that an excuse to hurl personal invective at his opponents. Rather, he was known to forbid the practice by his caucusmates.
Perhaps then it is only fitting that in Canada's federal election in May, Layton led the NDP to its best showing ever, nearly tripling its seats in Parliament and becoming the first NDP head to serve as Opposition Leader. Maybe there is a better way to do things after all.
Layton wrote a letter to Canadians over the weekend to be released upon his passing. In a time of heightened cynicism, it is a pleasant and necessary reminder that public service can still be a noble calling undertaken by noble people.
20110820 Letter to Cdns From Jack Layton En
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