As Layton is laid to rest, there remains much to be said about his legacy.
It is a sign of the times in which we live that less than 24 hours after the death of the leader of Canada’s federal opposition, the pundit class was all ready offering its takes on Jack Layton’s legacy. These ranged from the downright mean-spirited to the oddly dismissive.
At the height of insensitivity, on the very day Layton passed, The Globe and Mail republished, on its website, an editorial from May 2011 that suggested Layton would have to answer for his attempts to tempt and seduce Quebecers. It is one thing for commentators to speak ill of the recently deceased (what else would they do?), but for the editorial board at The Globe to republish this taunt on the same day that Layton died is tone deaf and improper.
Quelle surprise …
The Mark News reflects on what Jack meant to a new generation of Canadians. Read our commentary here.
There is much to be said about Layton’s legacy, and far more qualified people to offer views in the weeks and months ahead. There is something unseemly about the rush to judge Layton and turn his life into a 600-word column for immediate upload. For me, the news of his passing was an unpleasant jolt. I was sad, and then a bit embarrassed to recall my critical assessment, last year, of Layton’s unwillingness to engage in a leadership review. At that time, I was annoyed with the state of Canadian politics in general, and I ignorantly wrote in The Mark, "Wouldn’t you like to see Jack in action? Let's see him secure his legacy by encouraging the next generation of centre-left leadership to emerge."
I came back to Layton following my deep disappointment with the Liberal Party of Canada, and what I argued was its complicity in the largest constitutional crime in Canadian history – the 2008 prorogation. By contrast, the NDP remained committed to working with other parties in the House to find the true parliamentary majority required to credibly govern our nation. At that time, and since, Layton never apologized for being willing to work with then Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe and Liberal leader Stéphane Dion. He made no excuses for relying upon their majority in the House of Commons to make the federal government reflect the will of the majority of Canadians. Of course, it was not to be. The Liberals anointed Michael Ignatieff after he assured the old party elite that he would categorically rule out a formal coalition with the NDP, or any other sort of arrangement with the BQ, in the future.
Layton never played these nasty nationalist games. While some Canadians had legitimate concerns about the influence the BQ may have had in the coalition, too many let their fears overcome their common sense. The proposition that those with a different political outlook and/or language do not deserve the same constitutional rights to fully participate in the affairs of the House of Commons, and the country, is abhorrent. It is also profoundly un-Canadian and perhaps, in some perverse way, the basis for what has been called the two solitudes in Canada – the solution to which remains elusive.
Read more about Jack Layton's lating legacy here.
Perhaps the saddest aspect of the terrible news this week is that we will not have the chance to see how Layton’s leadership could have begun to heal the divides that mark this fractured era of Canadian politics. Layton believed in the tried and true democratic mechanisms of the people’s Parliament, and he knew the system deserved more than the routine contempt it has suffered in recent years. The 2011 federal NDP campaign, for me, restored hope that principles that support broader notions of justice and meaningful participation can resonate across Canada. Layton proved that each of the 300-odd seats in every election counts, and reminded Ottawa that Quebec’s voice is a strong one in Canada’s federation, and should not be ignored.
One thing that I hope to read more about in the months ahead is what I consider to be Jack Layton’s pursuit of a pragmatic progressive agenda. He could, and did, compromise. At the same time, he always held on to his core beliefs, which he consistently affirmed. It seems to me that his integrity, and this approach to pragmatism, is what explains Layton’s success in Quebec. It is my hope that, in this moment of uncertainty, a conversation begins among the next generation about where we go from here.
Many knew that Jack Layton was a man of integrity who stood up for what he believed – even when those beliefs were not popular. Fewer appreciated that he was a skilled and inventive musician and had a great sense of humour. If you, like me, have been a bit down this week, perhaps this collection of clips from the good folks at 22 Minutes will cheer you up a bit.
Thanks, Jack, wherever you are. Your words will continue to inspire.
Origin
Source: the Mark
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