[darkpuppet]

<sarcasm>Not sure if anyone has heard</sarcasm>, but Jack Layton recently passed away.

Now, I normally wouldn't say boo, but it seems that a lot of attention is being given to his recent death.

I accept the fact that he was rather popular (or at least posthumously), but I'm a bit lost on why it's such a big deal -- big enough for a state funeral.

I've been trying to do some reading up, and I can't find any real accomplishments or contributions he's made that's actually changed the country -- or city, or otherwise... I'm not sure if breaking the Bloc's back is really that big of an accomplishment or winning the most seats in history for the NDP (coming in the most second place?)...

am I missing something?

Dying of cancer is a tragedy for anyone and their family, I know this first hand, and a great many other amazing people have died from cancer in sudden, unexpected manners....

But why is it so special for this one instance?

I don't want to sound insensitive, but I seem to not have the empathy for this huge headline...

note: I didn't care about the recent royal wedding either

[ZTWsquared]

(08-24-2011, 05:55 AM)darkpuppet Wrote: <sarcasm>Not sure if anyone has heard</sarcasm>, but Jack Layton recently passed away.

Now, I normally wouldn't say boo, but it seems that a lot of attention is being given to his recent death.

I accept the fact that he was rather popular (or at least posthumously), but I'm a bit lost on why it's such a big deal -- big enough for a state funeral.

I've been trying to do some reading up, and I can't find any real accomplishments or contributions he's made that's actually changed the country -- or city, or otherwise... I'm not sure if breaking the Bloc's back is really that big of an accomplishment or winning the most seats in history for the NDP (coming in the most second place?)...

am I missing something?

Dying of cancer is a tragedy for anyone and their family, I know this first hand, and a great many other amazing people have died from cancer in sudden, unexpected manners....

But why is it so special for this one instance?

I don't want to sound insensitive, but I seem to not have the empathy for this huge headline...

note: I didn't care about the recent royal wedding either

I think it's more that he seemed to connect at a very basic level with a lot of people in a way that is unusual for politicians; and in terms of his adherence to principle he seemed to be a lot more consistent than most people in public life.

I didn't care much for a lot of his politics (or his wife for that matter), but I did find myself liking him a lot especially throughout this past campaign.

His accomplishments per se probably don't warrant the state funeral - but I don't mind that he's getting one either.

[meford4u]

Funny how he died at the height of his career.

The man upstairs works in mysterious ways.

I knew Jack and didn't care for his politics or how he went about his political life.

I think the state funeral is overblown indeed. He was not a "great" politician but he did leave his mark.

[moon111]

I watch way too much drama T.V. My immediate thoughts were Mr. Layton created quite the stir with Harper's government. I also think there's allot of people in the world who are very happy Harper is in government and don't like to see any threats to undermine that. There's people getting rich off the money Canada is spending on their military now. The U.S. is also benefiting from a stronger Canadian war machine. The old introduce a radioactive material into someone's blood stream assassination.

[NefCanuck]

Here's the thing, no matter what you may have thought about Jack's politics (and I grew up watching him piss away money as a Toronto city councilor like it was water on pet projects of his) he connected with people on a human level that hasn't happened in this country in years.

Hell, I remember seeing a poll during the last election that said of the three main federal party leaders, who would you want to sit and have a beer with. Jack Layton won that poll hands down.

Jack Layton was a populist politician who stood up for what he believed in and was willing to fight for it, while still willing to at least hear the other side out.

I daresay we may never seen another like him again, politics has turned into the ultimate blood sport.

NefCanuck

[oldeguy]

As a life long NDP follower, I have watched Jack Layton go from a laughing stock fourth party leader to the leader of the Loyal Opposition in Canadian politics. Throughout his entire life, Jack was always looking out for the "little guy", the common person. I always said, that because Jack was such a common person, that he would have been the best Prime Minister that Canada would never have. Jack would have become Prime Minister, if he had been a Liberal. However, as a man of principle, he never would have switched parties. Despite his party's way out there policies, Jack was a great, principled person. I have to give kudos to Stephen Harper for recognizing that the leader of the Official Opposition is, in most cases, just as passionate about Canada as the governing party leader.Jack Layton was a great Canadian who would have kept reminding the government about the common Canadian. Jack Layton will be missed.

[darkpuppet]

See, I always thought that I was a 'little' guy (not literally of course), and I work damn hard, and I have less protections than most people, and I never really felt that Jack had my back... I would never question his passion or charisma, but I'm impress by the number of people he has seemed to have touched.

[paolo]

I met jack many times. Jack's son was in the same graduating class as my sister at York U, and he was very down to earth and congraduated my sister on her graduation, he even gave us an autograph and a photo and said he would like to hear our issues about the country.

Not many other politicians are as down to earth as jack was, the other politicians are pretty snobby in person, jack was different.

I was always a liberal voter, but this past election I switched my vote to NDP, it was because of jack layton. RIP Jack.

[Mystake]

I wasn't happy when I heard he passed away. I would've loved to see him in action in the next election. Never met the guy, only recently got into politics but bringing the NDP to Official Opposition status from what it once was is quite the achievement.

I read/heard he had one of the best attendance records at the house of commons?