so sad, what a great man, would have been interesting to see him run for PM in 2014 or whenever the next election will be, definitley a loss to alot of people, classy last remarks
1998 ~ Barrie
2003 ~ Toronto
2005 ~ London, Toronto
2006 ~ Toronto
2008 ~ Hartford, Mansfied I,
2009 ~ Toronto, Chicago I, Chicago II
2010 ~ Cleveland, Buffalo
2011 ~ Toronto I, Toronto II, Ottawa, Hamilton
2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
i passed by his constituency office last night just before 10 ... there was a woman meditating on the steps to his door and about 5-10 people milling about ... it's been an interesting week ... in reading more about the man - you realize all those smear campaigns against him were grounded in lies and how we, as the public, fall so easily for things of that nature ... the backlash against right wing pundits who took their "journalistic duty" to defame a guy at the moment of his death ... understanding that what made Jack able to build consensus and get things done was because he understood ALL the aspects of an issue ... he didn't coles note issues ... he went to the experts and he debated with them until he understood it inside out ... the impact on the youth of this country ... he will be visited by quite a few people in toronto and his funeral will be attended by a lot of people under 30 ... this is what gives me hope ...
i passed by his constituency office last night just before 10 ... there was a woman meditating on the steps to his door and about 5-10 people milling about ... it's been an interesting week ... in reading more about the man - you realize all those smear campaigns against him were grounded in lies and how we, as the public, fall so easily for things of that nature ... the backlash against right wing pundits who took their "journalistic duty" to defame a guy at the moment of his death ... understanding that what made Jack able to build consensus and get things done was because he understood ALL the aspects of an issue ... he didn't coles note issues ... he went to the experts and he debated with them until he understood it inside out ... the impact on the youth of this country ... he will be visited by quite a few people in toronto and his funeral will be attended by a lot of people under 30 ... this is what gives me hope ...
this is a good point... hopefully out of the tragedy of his death can rise something that will ignite the passion of people my age. although I don't have much hope...
I'm with haffa...it might ignite passion, but I also highly doubt it...and the way the media works this will soon not be a news story...I also tend 2 think that the young people that do vote might tend to vote for green or ndp in their 20's...but how many switch to liberal and conservative in their 30.s and 40's and beyond? Must be quite a few...after all it is either the liberals or conservatives that form the government.
And with an aging population I suspect the conservatives and liberals will continue to fight for power...unless the liberals and ndp merge...which might be good for the green party.
I also wonder now if the ndp and liberals will enter into merger talks? will the new ndp leader have the same philosophy as Jack? many questions!!!
We will see...no doubt Jack seemed to inspire people people with his optimistic, down to earth approach to leadership.
RIP Jack.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I agree. I would like to think we could change (although the NDP is a bit too far to the left for me) but I am guessing it will be no time at all until we go back to being complacent Canadians.
I agree. I would like to think we could change (although the NDP is a bit too far to the left for me) but I am guessing it will be no time at all until we go back to being complacent Canadians.
I thought the NDP before was to far left...did it seem to you that Jack was more just left of centre? He certainly didn't seem like the a typical NDP leader...but I could be wrong.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Who's going to take over the reigns?
Are the NDP going to pick a leader with Jack's philosophy?
What about his wife Olivia?
I think they will pick a new leader sooner than later.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I agree. I would like to think we could change (although the NDP is a bit too far to the left for me) but I am guessing it will be no time at all until we go back to being complacent Canadians.
I thought the NDP before was to far left...did it seem to you that Jack was more just left of centre? He certainly didn't seem like the a typical NDP leader...but I could be wrong.
He did seem a bit closer to centre than the NDP of old. I think Jack Layton was so charismatic and a real people person he seemed to transcend (is that the word I want???) to different parties. Right now seems like a crappy time in Canadian politics (although interesting to see who the NDP chooses as a new leader).
ya ... the ndp have moved closer to the centre ... but these days - it's hard to see what is left and right anymore ... why the cuss is global warming an issue for the left when it was born early on from conservatives!? ...
it will be hard to find a replacement for jack ... mainly because anyone with any pedigree or real desire to accomplish things realizes their efforts have a far greater return either in the private or ngo sector (see stephen lewis) ...
i believe chretien is right in saying at some point the liberals and ndp will have to merge ...
jack's "manifesto" of social democracy wasn't a move to socialism but rather a return to the roots of what made canada what it was in years past ... a country that embraced everyone, a country that believed that giving a helping hand one day may mean you will need that same hand one day yourself ... we've lost sight of that ...
Funny Chretien wasn't wanting to merge with the ndp when he ran off 3 straight majority governments...just saying.
of course not ...
my feelings are that the new wave liberals are more like the new ndp ... and that a banishment of old school liberals would be a good thing ...
I just don't know why the ndp would...they got a good foot in Quebec...major gains by a perrenial third party...I would have thought they'd want to build upon that...up to them though...don't matter much to me...any integrity they had with Jack at the helm will be lost if they join the liberals...imo.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I just don't know why the ndp would...they got a good foot in Quebec...major gains by a perrenial third party...I would have thought they'd want to build upon that...up to them though...don't matter much to me...any integrity they had with Jack at the helm will be lost if they join the liberals...imo.
because ultimately, it would take a total nuclear explosion of the liberal party for the ndp to ever form gov't ... harper figured that out and that is why the alliance and conservatives merged ... peter mckay basically won his leadership race on the notion that he would never merge with the alliance party but he did so with very little consequence ...
the vote splitting will forever keep the conservatives in power ... unless we went to proportional representation - this is the only hope for the ndp or liberal party to ever take the country back ...
I just don't know why the ndp would...they got a good foot in Quebec...major gains by a perrenial third party...I would have thought they'd want to build upon that...up to them though...don't matter much to me...any integrity they had with Jack at the helm will be lost if they join the liberals...imo.
because ultimately, it would take a total nuclear explosion of the liberal party for the ndp to ever form gov't ... harper figured that out and that is why the alliance and conservatives merged ... peter mckay basically won his leadership race on the notion that he would never merge with the alliance party but he did so with very little consequence ...
the vote splitting will forever keep the conservatives in power ... unless we went to proportional representation - this is the only hope for the ndp or liberal party to ever take the country back ...
Don't much matter to me...I don't trust the liberals or conservatives...I could see myself building trust with a Jack lead ndp...however they still have some work to do for me to trust them...merging with liberals forget that...
Like the liberal under of the 90's were such an honest trustworthy party...liberal/conservative might as well merger don't see much difference between the 2.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
It's a shame that there isn't a legitimate alternative to the Conservative party right now. Even if a majority of Canadians are slightly left leaning, the divide between the Liberals and the NDP has essentially cemented Harper as PM for the long haul. The Liberals completely lost touch with the electorate and the NDP are far too indifferent to the consequences of their proposed policy changes. Social awareness and fiscally responsible government aren't mutually exclusive concepts. Unfortunately, many major players on the political left continue to thumb their noses at the notion of fiscal responsibility while Canada's right wingers look to cleave apart our social programs indiscriminately.
We're becoming far too partisan. Politics is more about pushing an agenda rather than representing Canadians.
Don't much matter to me...I don't trust the liberals or conservatives...I could see myself building trust with a Jack lead ndp...however they still have some work to do for me to trust them...merging with liberals forget that...
Like the liberal under of the 90's were such an honest trustworthy party...liberal/conservative might as well merger don't see much difference between the 2.
hence my point about the old school liberals getting banished ... i think guys like stephane dion (i know he's out) and gerard kennedy are the new school liberals who have a record of integrity can form an electable merger ...
It's a shame that there isn't a legitimate alternative to the Conservative party right now. Even if a majority of Canadians are slightly left leaning, the divide between the Liberals and the NDP has essentially cemented Harper as PM for the long haul. The Liberals completely lost touch with the electorate and the NDP are far too indifferent to the consequences of their proposed policy changes. Social awareness and fiscally responsible government aren't mutually exclusive concepts. Unfortunately, many major players on the political left continue to thumb their noses at the notion of fiscal responsibility while Canada's right wingers look to cleave apart our social programs indiscriminately.
We're becoming far too partisan. Politics is more about pushing an agenda rather than representing Canadians.
i think it is a partisan myth that the ndp or left leaning policies are fiscally irresponsible ... tax cuts favouring the wealthy eliminating a surplus entering into a recession was irresponsible ...
the ndp never promised everything for nothing which is what the right did (harper, rob ford and tim hudak) ... when they got into power, they realized that was not possible ... jack always said it was about choices ...
Don't much matter to me...I don't trust the liberals or conservatives...I could see myself building trust with a Jack lead ndp...however they still have some work to do for me to trust them...merging with liberals forget that...
Like the liberal under of the 90's were such an honest trustworthy party...liberal/conservative might as well merger don't see much difference between the 2.
hence my point about the old school liberals getting banished ... i think guys like stephane dion (i know he's out) and gerard kennedy are the new school liberals who have a record of integrity can form an electable merger ...
I do like Kennedy...they first need to pick a leader that the majority of the country finds electable...at least I would think...but truthfully merger no merger I never count the liberals out...but we'll see what happens.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I do like Kennedy...they first need to pick a leader that the majority of the country finds electable...at least I would think...but truthfully merger no merger I never count the liberals out...but we'll see what happens.
for me, the lasting legacy with jack is that we should be lead by people of integrity ... i can move past the perception as long as that person governs from a place that includes all canadians ... it's why i liked stephane dion ... we can't continue to allow these good people to leave politics ...
I do like Kennedy...they first need to pick a leader that the majority of the country finds electable...at least I would think...but truthfully merger no merger I never count the liberals out...but we'll see what happens.
for me, the lasting legacy with jack is that we should be lead by people of integrity ... i can move past the perception as long as that person governs from a place that includes all canadians ... it's why i liked stephane dion ... we can't continue to allow these good people to leave politics ...
You are right we need good people in politics...unfortunately we have far to few of them at the moment...Jack did seem like one of the good guys...for me I just have trouble trusting politicians...but thats just me...Jack was the closest I have come to being able to trust a politician.
Like I said I do like Kennedy...I like him when he was in provincial politics...I believe federally he could be a good leader for the liberals...has he learned french? I think that was the hang up before...was it not? Not that it matters to me...it just seems like you have to be bilingual to be elected PM.
I guess time will tell...the ndp and liberals have a few years to sort it out before the next election.
It's onto the Ontario election...I think we have a 3 way race...1 in which I think if the ndp avoid negative attack ads could lead a minority government...
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
You are right we need good people in politics...unfortunately we have far to few of them at the moment...Jack did seem like one of the good guys...for me I just have trouble trusting politicians...but thats just me...Jack was the closest I have come to being able to trust a politician.
Like I said I do like Kennedy...I like him when he was in provincial politics...I believe federally he could be a good leader for the liberals...has he learned french? I think that was the hang up before...was it not? Not that it matters to me...it just seems like you have to be bilingual to be elected PM.
I guess time will tell...the ndp and liberals have a few years to sort it out before the next election.
It's onto the Ontario election...I think we have a 3 way race...1 in which I think if the ndp avoid negative attack ads could lead a minority government...
sadly or maybe not ... the ndp have no chance in ontario ... people are still hung up on rae's tenure and have already forgotten the shit harris left ... having said that - i am not a fan of andrea howarth ... she lacks the experience and knowledge i would want in a provincial leader ... she would be fodder ...
the conservative movement is being fueled by the willfully ignorant ... just look at rob ford here in toronto ... it's an absolute disaster here but his supporters have got his back blind ... the same goes for tim hudak ... the conservative steamrolling in ontario will continue as so long as the centrist/left vote continues to be split ...
You are right we need good people in politics...unfortunately we have far to few of them at the moment...Jack did seem like one of the good guys...for me I just have trouble trusting politicians...but thats just me...Jack was the closest I have come to being able to trust a politician.
Like I said I do like Kennedy...I like him when he was in provincial politics...I believe federally he could be a good leader for the liberals...has he learned french? I think that was the hang up before...was it not? Not that it matters to me...it just seems like you have to be bilingual to be elected PM.
I guess time will tell...the ndp and liberals have a few years to sort it out before the next election.
It's onto the Ontario election...I think we have a 3 way race...1 in which I think if the ndp avoid negative attack ads could lead a minority government...
sadly or maybe not ... the ndp have no chance in ontario ... people are still hung up on rae's tenure and have already forgotten the shit harris left ... having said that - i am not a fan of andrea howarth ... she lacks the experience and knowledge i would want in a provincial leader ... she would be fodder ...
the conservative movement is being fueled by the willfully ignorant ... just look at rob ford here in toronto ... it's an absolute disaster here but his supporters have got his back blind ... the same goes for tim hudak ... the conservative steamrolling in ontario will continue as so long as the centrist/left vote continues to be split ...
Then there really is not much choice in Ontario...I'm not so sure that the tories will win a majority in Ontario...but we'll see.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Besides Dalton McGuinty won back to back majorities under the identical system...so if the tories do win it not vote splitting...and McGuinty put a referendum out there on proportional representation that was rejected by the voters...this is the system we have like it or not.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Besides Dalton McGuinty won back to back majorities under the identical system...so if the tories do win it not vote splitting...and McGuinty put a referendum out there on proportional representation that was rejected by the voters...this is the system we have like it or not.
i feel the referendum on electoral reform was not well explained and most people didn't even know about it ...
unless there is a major gaffe by hudak ... we are looking at another conservative gov't in ontario in 6 weeks or so ...
Besides Dalton McGuinty won back to back majorities under the identical system...so if the tories do win it not vote splitting...and McGuinty put a referendum out there on proportional representation that was rejected by the voters...this is the system we have like it or not.
i feel the referendum on electoral reform was not well explained and most people didn't even know about it ...
unless there is a major gaffe by hudak ... we are looking at another conservative gov't in ontario in 6 weeks or so ...
McGuinty put the referendum on the ballot...but if my memory serves me correct he refused to offer his support either way...so it was up to those who supported it to get out and advertise, explain and educate...other than that I don't know what more could have been done.
Well maybe people have tired of McGuinty...
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Comments
2003 ~ Toronto
2005 ~ London, Toronto
2006 ~ Toronto
2008 ~ Hartford, Mansfied I,
2009 ~ Toronto, Chicago I, Chicago II
2010 ~ Cleveland, Buffalo
2011 ~ Toronto I, Toronto II, Ottawa, Hamilton
2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
And with an aging population I suspect the conservatives and liberals will continue to fight for power...unless the liberals and ndp merge...which might be good for the green party.
I also wonder now if the ndp and liberals will enter into merger talks? will the new ndp leader have the same philosophy as Jack? many questions!!!
We will see...no doubt Jack seemed to inspire people people with his optimistic, down to earth approach to leadership.
RIP Jack.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb1clTRYgSM
I thought the NDP before was to far left...did it seem to you that Jack was more just left of centre? He certainly didn't seem like the a typical NDP leader...but I could be wrong.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Are the NDP going to pick a leader with Jack's philosophy?
What about his wife Olivia?
I think they will pick a new leader sooner than later.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
He did seem a bit closer to centre than the NDP of old. I think Jack Layton was so charismatic and a real people person he seemed to transcend (is that the word I want???) to different parties. Right now seems like a crappy time in Canadian politics (although interesting to see who the NDP chooses as a new leader).
it will be hard to find a replacement for jack ... mainly because anyone with any pedigree or real desire to accomplish things realizes their efforts have a far greater return either in the private or ngo sector (see stephen lewis) ...
i believe chretien is right in saying at some point the liberals and ndp will have to merge ...
jack's "manifesto" of social democracy wasn't a move to socialism but rather a return to the roots of what made canada what it was in years past ... a country that embraced everyone, a country that believed that giving a helping hand one day may mean you will need that same hand one day yourself ... we've lost sight of that ...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
of course not ...
my feelings are that the new wave liberals are more like the new ndp ... and that a banishment of old school liberals would be a good thing ...
I just don't know why the ndp would...they got a good foot in Quebec...major gains by a perrenial third party...I would have thought they'd want to build upon that...up to them though...don't matter much to me...any integrity they had with Jack at the helm will be lost if they join the liberals...imo.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
because ultimately, it would take a total nuclear explosion of the liberal party for the ndp to ever form gov't ... harper figured that out and that is why the alliance and conservatives merged ... peter mckay basically won his leadership race on the notion that he would never merge with the alliance party but he did so with very little consequence ...
the vote splitting will forever keep the conservatives in power ... unless we went to proportional representation - this is the only hope for the ndp or liberal party to ever take the country back ...
Don't much matter to me...I don't trust the liberals or conservatives...I could see myself building trust with a Jack lead ndp...however they still have some work to do for me to trust them...merging with liberals forget that...
Like the liberal under of the 90's were such an honest trustworthy party...liberal/conservative might as well merger don't see much difference between the 2.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
We're becoming far too partisan. Politics is more about pushing an agenda rather than representing Canadians.
hence my point about the old school liberals getting banished ... i think guys like stephane dion (i know he's out) and gerard kennedy are the new school liberals who have a record of integrity can form an electable merger ...
i think it is a partisan myth that the ndp or left leaning policies are fiscally irresponsible ... tax cuts favouring the wealthy eliminating a surplus entering into a recession was irresponsible ...
the ndp never promised everything for nothing which is what the right did (harper, rob ford and tim hudak) ... when they got into power, they realized that was not possible ... jack always said it was about choices ...
I do like Kennedy...they first need to pick a leader that the majority of the country finds electable...at least I would think...but truthfully merger no merger I never count the liberals out...but we'll see what happens.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
for me, the lasting legacy with jack is that we should be lead by people of integrity ... i can move past the perception as long as that person governs from a place that includes all canadians ... it's why i liked stephane dion ... we can't continue to allow these good people to leave politics ...
You are right we need good people in politics...unfortunately we have far to few of them at the moment...Jack did seem like one of the good guys...for me I just have trouble trusting politicians...but thats just me...Jack was the closest I have come to being able to trust a politician.
Like I said I do like Kennedy...I like him when he was in provincial politics...I believe federally he could be a good leader for the liberals...has he learned french? I think that was the hang up before...was it not? Not that it matters to me...it just seems like you have to be bilingual to be elected PM.
I guess time will tell...the ndp and liberals have a few years to sort it out before the next election.
It's onto the Ontario election...I think we have a 3 way race...1 in which I think if the ndp avoid negative attack ads could lead a minority government...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
sadly or maybe not ... the ndp have no chance in ontario ... people are still hung up on rae's tenure and have already forgotten the shit harris left ... having said that - i am not a fan of andrea howarth ... she lacks the experience and knowledge i would want in a provincial leader ... she would be fodder ...
the conservative movement is being fueled by the willfully ignorant ... just look at rob ford here in toronto ... it's an absolute disaster here but his supporters have got his back blind ... the same goes for tim hudak ... the conservative steamrolling in ontario will continue as so long as the centrist/left vote continues to be split ...
Then there really is not much choice in Ontario...I'm not so sure that the tories will win a majority in Ontario...but we'll see.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
i feel the referendum on electoral reform was not well explained and most people didn't even know about it ...
unless there is a major gaffe by hudak ... we are looking at another conservative gov't in ontario in 6 weeks or so ...
McGuinty put the referendum on the ballot...but if my memory serves me correct he refused to offer his support either way...so it was up to those who supported it to get out and advertise, explain and educate...other than that I don't know what more could have been done.
Well maybe people have tired of McGuinty...
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
Stop it with all the reality... it's so depressing. Hudak + Ford =