Jack Layton ... RIP

[Carmencat]

However I suspect Jack Layton is enjoying all the attention.

sorry to inform you he is dead, any awareness of enjoyment or attention was gone at 4:45 am Monday EDT.

That is your belief. Mine is that his 'spirit' knows what is happening here on earth. : )

Flamingfingers wrote:

Actually I would suspect that Layton would NOT appreciate the $ being spent here. It is unfortunate that he did not specify his wishes regarding disposition of is body. Olivia and family will undoubtedly regret accepting Harper's offer.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who was supposedly alert enough to write a letter to Canadians on Saturday did not discuss with his wife the type of funeral he would want. And to realize that the PM might offer a state funeral. I have every belief that he would have been happy to accept. And gven the huge expense claims he turned in for reimbursement while in public life don't think Layton would have had a problem with accepting a state funeral.

[wthwyt]

However I suspect Jack Layton is enjoying all the attention.

sorry to inform you he is dead, any awareness of enjoyment or attention was gone at 4:45 am Monday EDT.

That is your belief. Mine is that his 'spirit' knows what is happening here on earth. : )

Interesting belief, with no proof to back it up. Good luck with that

[oneh2obabe]

US pays tribute to Canada's Jack Layton
AFP – 15 hours ago

The United States on Wednesday paid tribute to Jack Layton, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party, saying Canada has lost a man who defended the underdog.

"Canada has lost a dedicated political activist committed to promoting a platform of social justice through compromise, tolerance, and hope," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said as she offered condolences to the people of Canada.

Layton "was a man of principle, an optimist, and a pragmatist," who helped build his party "into a vital force in Canadian politics" and who believed "in standing up for those who could not stand up for themselves," she said.

"He was a proud Canadian who always practiced civility in politics," Nuland added.

Layton, who helped his New Democratic Party surge past the Liberals to become Canada's official opposition earlier this year, died on Monday following a battle with cancer. He will be given a state funeral on Saturday.

[The Green Barbarian]

as opposed to left wingers who are so high and mighty they don't even want to apologize...and they get their media buddies to help them spin their way out...typical.

And you will of course provide several examples, with links?

and if I don't, it will be one less than the one you've provided.

[Jo]

I really don't see how this issue has anything to do with right-wing vs left-wing. The observations made in Blatchford's article were primarily about an interesting social trend.

[Mr. Personality]

Personally I loved Christie Blatchford's column, as she brought up points I made in my own post here the day before.

It also crossed my mind that the state funeral would be costing tax payers a pretty penny. Which seems to go against what the NDP stands for.

When I think NDP, low spending is the last thing to come to mind...

LOL. Good point. I was thinking more in the lines that the NDP is supposed to represent the common man/woman, and fight for things like social housing and social programs. So Ms. Chow could have said she would rather the money that is being spent on the state funeral go to those programs.

However I suspect Jack Layton is enjoying all the attention. Which I certainly don't begrude him. I just think it is hypocritical.

Actually I would suspect that Layton would NOT appreciate the $ being spent here. It is unfortunate that he did not specify his wishes regarding disposition of is body. Olivia and family will undoubtedly regret accepting Harper's offer.

1 - I don't think Layton is enjoying much of anything these days, he's dead.
2 - The only reason to regret anything here is giving idiots a chance to turn this into a political event.

[logicalview]

2 - The only reason to regret anything here is giving idiots a chance to turn this into a political event.

Jack would have loved that. He loved a good spin.

But your right, he is dead.

And now, his state funeral is a political event. Jack is looking up at this and loving all of the attention from his symathizers and grinning from ear to ear when anybody who doesn't agree with them is an instantly portrayed in to a heartless right winger.

[wthwyt]

Jack is looking up

I'm not sure if you know what dead means, he's not feeling, looking, smelling, tasting, hearing....... Okay.

[heymac]

I haven't seen or heard anything from Elizabeth May. Has anyone else heard or seen her?

[hellomynameis]

And now, his state funeral is a political event. Jack is looking up at this and loving all of the attention from his symathizers and grinning from ear to ear when anybody who doesn't agree with them is an instantly portrayed in to a heartless right winger.

Is it? And by your definition of "political event" could this funeral even have the possibility of not being one?

I think our elected officials know that now isn't the time to rail on the NDP or vice-versa. That despite the day-to-day political differences and the defacto hyperbolic stereotyping (LIEbrals, CONservatives, pinkos.) of the "other parties" that goes along with that, this somber event requires tact and grants a rare window where we can acknowledge the virtues of politics and politicians.

I moment of near clarity where the spin and canned dialogue gets turned down to a dull hum, or at least, a less overt and offensive version of itself.

[logicalview]

Is it? And by your definition of "political event" could this funeral even have the possibility of not being one?

Oh, come on. Jack didn't qualify for a State Funeral, he was gifted one by his nemesis. The same guy who Jack sun, spewed and heckled incessantly for years.

[Mr. Personality]

Oh, come on. Jack didn't qualify for a State Funeral

State funerals in Canada are public events held to commemorate former governors general, prime ministers, members of the Cabinet who died in office, and, at the government's discretion, other eminent Canadians.

Quite frankly, I would expect a state funeral for any member of parliament, cost or no cost.

[hellomynameis]

Is it? And by your definition of "political event" could this funeral even have the possibility of not being one?

Oh, come on. Jack didn't qualify for a State Funeral, he was gifted one by his nemesis. The same guy who Jack sun, spewed and heckled incessantly for years.

Oh, come on? Why? To what? The calloused political view point? Don't worry I'm there 95% of the time.

You're making an awful lot of noise, and I'm not discerning a point. In the post I quoted you were going off about how Jack en party are grinning ear to ear about the whole event and how it maligns the right. Now you're telling me this was a move by the right, "a gift from his nemesis.", following your same logic regarding the political nature of the event wouldn't that mean it was intended to their (the Conservative's) advantage? Or did Harper make a mistake, or just deploy some massive reverse psychosocial tactic?

Jack didn't qualify for a State Funeral? I do believe he did, being an eminent Canadian, but it does break the rather stiff historical trend of not taking advantage of that qualification.

Anyway, I'm not trying to argue that this event ISN't politically designed. Just that the politics being used are of a more genteel persuasion. Call me a pessimist but I don't believe it's impossible to take the politicking out of politics. Whenever we get the feeling that our politicians aren't using their art they are invariably only using a more sublime version of said art.

But with that in mind I will take this this brief interlude of relatively non-combustible political eventing over the standard fair any day. With much misgiving over the fact that it was brought on by a death. Won't you?

Perhaps I've totally missed the point you were driving at, perhaps you could inform me why this whole thing has you slightly annoyed? Of course the mood I judge you to be in suffers from the intent killing nature of the internet so feel free to correct me here as well.

All the best.

P.S. It has been my experience that they all spew and heckle each other to a fairly equal degree. Especially when in opposition status.

edited to add: bold

[Glacier]

Stockwell Day gave an excell tribute to Layon earlier in the week. Layton was fierce in the House, but his attacks were not ad hominem . Day first met Layton at the gym where they shared a mutual respect for each other despite vast differences of opinion on many issues. Actually, I also think Layton and Harper also shared mutual feelings of respect.

Anyway, it was quite apparent at the gym (well before the last election campaign) that Jack Layton's health was going downhill, but Layton fought on with admirable optimistic determination.

As for the cost of the funeral being too much to bear vis-à-vis a precedent for future state funerals . Sorry, I don't buy it. How often does the leader of the the opposition die in office?

[Mr. Personality]

Stockwell Day gave an excell tribute to Layon earlier in the week. Layton was fierce in the House, but his attacks were not ad hominem . Day first met Layton at the gym where they shared a mutual respect for each other despite vast differences of opinion on many issues. Actually, I also think Layton and Harper also shared mutual feelings of respect.

What I've noticed since Layton's death is that pretty much anyone who respects and loves Canada also respected Layton, because he truly loved Canada.