Rest In Peace, Jack Layton.

I was going to write about something else today. I can't remember what it was now. And I suppose that, for the moment, it doesn't really matter anyways. At 4:45 am today, New Democrat Party Leader Jack Layton passed away, losing his battle with an undisclosed type of cancer at age 61. It is said he went peacefully, at home, surrounded by his family. I wish them strength in this challenging time.

Jack Layton was a beacon of hope for many of us Canadians who want, who need better from our government. For those of us that believe in human rights for all humans, be they male or female, hetero or homosexual, white or black or Asian or native or Latin or European or whatever other denomination, Jack and his party seemed to be leading the charge for a better tomorrow. I didn't agree with everything they did or stood for, but by and large, they are the party of the people. And it is Jack Layton's dying wish that they remain so.

It is important for left-leaning Canadians to remember at this time that although Jack Layton may have been the face of the NDP, he was not the NDP itself. The NDP is a party, an ideology, that will carry on with the determination of its' deputy leader, its' caucus, its' party members and those of us who will ally and realign ourselves with making this country better for all in the future. Now is the time for increased political activity, increased awareness, increased empathy towards our fellow citizens. And now is the time to stand up for what we believe in, always with the resolute dignity and determination that Jack Layton made his trademark. Jack Layton believed in this country. As a white male, that is easier for him than for many others. However, he was not many others. Layton took seriously the plights of the people that go ignored by our ruling party. Layton cared about missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Layton cared about the elderly. Layton cared about minorities and oppressed groups within Canadian society. As should we all.

Before his death, Jack Layton wrote a letter to all Canadians, which I intend to re-post here, in its' entirety. Hopefully, this breaks no laws. The original can be found here.

August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario
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.
I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.
A few additional thoughts:
To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.
To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.
To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election. 2
To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.
To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.
And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
All my very best,
Jack Layton

Rest in peace, Jack Layton. Thank you for trying. Thank you for doing your best.