When it came time to decide McGill’s first “Campus Celebrity” of the year, I could not think of anyone more deserving than Jack Layton. This McGill graduate (BA ’71), whose passing on August 22nd left a palpable sadness across Canada, wrought what has been called a “political miracle.” Indeed, in the spring 2011 federal election, he won the official opposition title for the NDP and became the first party leader to make not only a breakthrough in Quebec, but to sweep the province. He is also the first Leader of the Opposition to receive a state funeral. Layton’s relentless focus on better pensions, education, health care and the wrongs of economic disparity offer a compelling alternative to the political agenda of tax-cutting and balanced budgets championed by the Conservatives. He was adamant that Canada could be a better country–one of increased opportunity, justice, and above all, equality–and recognized the importance of Canada’s youth in that transformation.
For me, his unparalleled belief and trust in our generation made him accessible. It was motivating, and even, perhaps inspirational. I think regardless of their political ideology, most Canadians felt “le bon Jack” had earned their respect; he was honest, wholeheartedly devoted to public service and deeply committed to his ideals. This man was his message: his hope and his optimism were often referred to as both a personal and a political manifesto, and were beautifully articulated in his farewell letter. And despite his obvious charm and charisma, there was an immediacy to “Smilin’ Jack”–or just “Jack,”–something genuine, a core aspect of his character that made him the guy that Canadians rooted for, no matter how they eventually voted. He was the politician that Canadians could connect with, someone who wanted “a more inclusive and generous Canada,” where no one is left behind. In his eulogy for Mr. Layton, Stephen Lewis remarks: “Never in our collective lifetime have we seen such an outpouring” or “such a shocked sense of personal loss” from “every corner of this country.” In this sense, Jack Layton is the quintessential “Campus Celebrity;” he was someone that was not only “known,” but someone that Canadians felt they “knew.”
The comments below from Canadian McGill students, TAs, and course lecturers are testament to Jack’s role as the “people’s politician.”
Did you know that Jack Layton was a McGill graduate, receiving a BA ’71 in Political Science? Are you proud that someone like him is one of our university’s alumni?
“Yes, I was aware that Jack Layton studied at McGill (but was not aware of what he studied) because last year, he spoke to new students at the beginning of the year. I am always proud to know that McGill has such a diverse history and I think that Jack Layton is definitely an excellent addition to our prestigious list of alumni.” – Carli McDonald (U2, majoring in English Literature)
“I actually did know that Jack was a graduate of McGill and I often boast to my friends who attend other universities about this! I am…even more proud that Jack was rumored to have been a water polo player like myself while he attended McGill.” – Gillian Massel (U2, in the Honours English Literature program)
“I did know that Jack was a McGill grad and of course I am proud to be working at the same institution in which he began his post-secondary education… [Jack’s] McGill education is one of the reasons that I feel personally connected to him… Last year I worked to develop AGSEM’s (the TA union at McGill) proposal for a new collective agreement with McGill. During this time, I spent a lot of long hours in the AGSEM office where we keep a framed, personal letter from Jack in support of the TA strike during the last collective bargaining with McGill. This letter served (and continues to serve) as a constant inspiration for people working with AGSEM to ensure that McGill’s TAs and course lecturers are treated fairly. In the letter Jack talked about how important our work was to him because McGill was his alma mater and because he was a union supporter. It was a powerful letter.” – Kait Pinder (TA and PhD Candidate, specializing in Canadian Literature)
In political cartoons, Jack is identified by his grin, his moustache, and, most recently, his cane. Which of the three will you remember him by and why?
“Definitely his grin. It’s the most expressive of the three – his genuine expression and charisma were contagious. Have you ever looked at a picture of him smiling and not smiled back feeling at least a little more empowered?” – Jennifer Yida Pan (U3, in the Honours English Literature program)
“You know, although Layton’s cane had become emblematic of his character during the campaign, and although he certainly did have a great smile, I think that I will remember [his] mustache best. Not that many men can sport the mustache without irony in the 21st century; Layton was one of them. It fit. It was dignified.” – Claudine Gelinas-Faucher (TA and PhD candidate, specializing in Canadian Literature)
“His grin, definitely. He had a Cheshire Cat smile that, in my opinion, always brought a much needed lightheartedness and optimism to… politics.” – Gillian Massel
According to John Sewell (mayor of Toronto from 1978-80), Jack Layton brought three “gifts” to politics: “an overwhelming energy, an ability to think of imaginative solutions, and a skill…at helping people find common ground.” What do you think Jack brought to Canadian politics?
“A breath of fresh air. It is so easy to be cynical towards politics today, especially if you are a young person. Layton encouraged young people [to] get involved and allowed them to believe that it was worthwhile.” – Claudine Gelinas-Faucher
“[F]or me, Jack, as any good leader of the NDP should, brought a kind of productive antagonism to Canadian politics. Jack once said, with reference to Charles Taylor, one of his professors at McGill: “If you start with a compromise right at the beginning and no debate, you’re really only going with the status quo and buttering it up a little. No space is created for change to happen.” I believe that one of the challenges that Canada faces as a nation at the moment is a legacy of Liberal status quo that no longer responds to the world in which we are living. We’ve got to learn to be ok with antagonism and debate… For me, Layton understood that as an integral aspect of politics and of thought in general.” – Kait Pinder
“I think that Jack brought a human touch to the sneaky business that politics can be sometimes.” – Elizabeth Rondon (U2, majoring in Marketing)
“He brought his flare for public speaking, and compassion to politics. Lots of politicians just don’t seem to care too much about less fortunate people, but I recently saw a report on CBC about a man that Mr. Layton helped out of poverty and get a job, who then went to the funeral to pay his last respects. I think that even if you didn’t agree entirely with Mr. Layton’s ideas… he could make you listen.” – Nebras Warsi (U2, majoring in Neuroscience)
One of the things that I admire about Mr. Layton is his optimism–it is something that I strive for in my own life. Is there a quality, an idea, or an accomplishment of his that you admire?
“There are so many. Optimism and courage stand out. I might also say the passion he exuded in his campaigns. The NDP has had the most difficult challenge in federal politics and they would not have been able to make such leaps in recent years if it hadn’t been for Jack’s passion and the passion of the people working for the party as a whole.” – Kait Pinder
“[For me,] the most impressive thing about Layton is his commit[ment] to the roots and future of the NDP. His last letter to Canadians is a startling and poignant testament to this commitment. It is disillusioning to see that writers like Christie Blatchford and Warren Kinsella are seemingly oblivious to such commitment and immune to basic sensitivity. Shame on them.” – JA Weingarten (Course Lecturer for Poetics and PhD Candidate, specializing in Canadian Literature)
“Probably his undying commitment to achieving his goals. Layton’s party, the NDP, was a blip on the political map and he turned it into the official opposition. I’ve always had the greatest respect for people who decide to do something and then get it done… to persevere, right to the end [of] something, is a most admirable quality.” – Gillian Massel
“…his optimism and compassion, especially in light of all the difficulties he’s overcome, are very inspirational on a personal level.” – Jennifer Yida Pan
“A quality I admire about Jack Layton is his charisma. People seem[ed] to instantaneously like him and want to listen to what he has to say.” – Olivia Rotondi (U2, majoring in Physiology)
Why do you think he was so successful in Quebec?
“I believe Jack Layton was so popular in Quebec because he was born here and very much was a part of the province’s pride… Jack Layton always came home to watch the Canadiens games and was very much a Quebecois in the eyes of the province. My uncle… [said that he] would have loved to go for a beer with him sometime after a hockey game; I believe it is this view of Layton that made him so popular in Quebec.” – Carli McDonald
“I think that part of it has to do with the general desire for change among the people, but I think that we cannot ignore the great role that his presence on the set of “Tout le monde en parle” played in his ascension to political stardom. He was comfortable, spoke in a straightforward manner, and made jokes. Guy A. Lepage and Danny Turcotte clearly loved him, and because they treated him accordingly (they can be pretty cruel with their guests), their audience discovered Layton as a politician that was relatable and honest.” – Claudine Gelinas-Faucher
“I think that the NDP gained the support of the Quebecois due to a loss in faith for the Bloc party. But, in saying that, I think that Layton and the NDP were in a position to rise to prominence in Quebec due to the party’s intent to protect the right of students and marginalized groups.” – Dana Scanzano (U2, majoring in Political Science)
In the last election, Jack Layton’s recovery from illness and his fortitude as he went from coast to coast–in pain, but determined–has been compared to the journeys of Terry Fox and Rick Hansen. The iconography of his campaign certainly evoked tremendously powerful imagery. What do you think of these comparisons?
“These seem like very valid comparisons, perhaps all the more moving in retrospect, as both Fox and Layton were fighting a losing battle.” – Claudine Gelinas-Faucher
“I don’t know if this comparison can be made. Terry Fox and Rick Hansen surpassed their own physical limitations to raise awareness and funds for cancer and spinal cord injuries so that people with the same illnesses could have a better life. I don’t think campaigning for votes is equal to that.” – Olivia Rotondi
“I am always reluctant to make such comparisons because they often rest upon sentimentality and a kind of uncritical nationalism that I resist. As powerful as these images inevitably are… Jack Layton’s campaign was not a fundraiser for cancer research; it was an effort to unify a country in political change. Of course, we should be encouraged and motivated by Jack’s example, but in terms of what the NDP stands for. I think better images to keep us motivated would be communities that are without reliable healthcare, families who are without work, union labourers whose collective bargaining is stalled by corporate self-interest, the environmental devastation of the tar sands, to name just a few. Those images are more meaningful to me, because I feel that they are… [the] things we are fighting for.” – Kait Pinder
“I think it is an apt comparison. All three men had their causes that they fought for, even through illness. Mr. Layton fought for his political values, and for a better life for disadvantaged peoples.” – Nebras Warsi
In his farewell letter, Jack wrote that the NDP’s “cause is much bigger than any one leader.” Yet, arguably, he came to personify the party–and is often credited for its revivification, for giving it profile. Do you agree with Jack–and think the “new NDP” is a party whose next leader will be able to say that he or she is very much in the running to become the next Prime Minister?
“I think it’s difficult to tell at this point. Theoretically, all of Canada’s political parties should be, as Layton says, “bigger than any one leader,” because a party is founded on an ideology and not a person. But a political party, just like a country, can’t be successful without a figurehead to lead the charge. The NDP as a representation of a set of beliefs will of course continue to exist, but it’s success in forming say, the next government of Canada, will largely depend on whomever succeeds Layton as leader. All I can say is that they have pretty big shoes to fill!” – Gillian Massel
“I think Jack Layton was an amazing politician, a charismatic and intelligent leader, and a man who I would have liked to see as our Prime Minister, but his death does not change the story for the NDP or for the people of Canada. It will be important and difficult in the upcoming years to maintain the NDP’s position as the opposition and to keep its core values, which have already begun to change to try to absorb some of the votes that have strayed from the Liberals. These are challenges Layton would have faced as leader of the party and they will not disappear with his death… In truth, if people voted for the NDP in the last election merely because Layton was the leader, they were not really voting for the NDP.” – Kait Pinder
“I think that Jack definitely left a legacy and that the new leader will have big shoes to fill. But, I believe that his popularity will…lend a hand in getting support for the party in the future.” – Dana Scanzano
“Yes, I do believe that the next NDP leader will be a strong candidate to become the next Prime Minister – but only because of all the hard work and long-lasting effort that Mr. Layton put into the party. The NDP…has gained a much larger following than ever before, but this is only because Mr. Layton made it that way.” – Jennifer Allore (U2, majoring in Education for kindergarten/elementary-school students)
One of my favorite stories about Jack Layton is that his first “real taste of rebellion” was in his role as the junior commodore of the Hudson Yacht Club as a teen. He decided to use his position to protest inequity between English and French-speaking families during Quebec’s Quiet Revolution in the mid-1960s; while he swam in the club’s “first-rate pool,” the francophone kids were apparently swimming in the polluted river. His club held weekly teen dances in the summer, and Layton discovered, “buried in the rules” that the junior commodore could bring “more than one [guest]” – in fact, “no limit was proscribed.” He invited the whole town. Moreover, when he was called into the boardroom the next morning, he told angry members that they could not have the satisfaction of “disbanding” the youth club because “we are canceling it.” Do you think this story of Jack corresponds to his later political persona?
“I think this is a great anecdote that can be read retrospectively as a sign of what was to come from Layton… [I]t would be nice if more people from privileged backgrounds would spend their lives working for the rights of the working classes.” – Kait Pinder
“I think it fits his personality exactly. Always looking for equality among all people, no matter where they are from or what they do. I think the fact that he used his position in a yacht club to allow others to access facilities that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to is parallel to his position in parliament—a man with great power campaigning for the common man.” – Nebras Warsi
“It’s easy to be on left if you’re a student or poor (or, as is often the case, both). It’s more difficult to believe in equality and social justice if you are among the privileged. To me, this story illustrates how consistent Layton has been in his social and political beliefs.” – Claudine Gelinas-Faucher
“…I just want to say that this story, which I didn’t know about, really warms my heart. The tensions between French and English deeply affect our province. There has been a lot of resentment on both sides, but there has also been a lot of love. What Jack did was an example of that. It’s often harder to recognize injustice when it privileges you… [T]his story seems pretty consistent with my impression of him.” – Jennifer Yida Pan
Sources
http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/06/17/the-making-of-jack-layton/
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1045918
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/laytons-last-words-love-is-better-than-anger-hope-is-better-than-fear/article2137381/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/jack-layton-eschewed-attacks-in-pursuit-of-greater-good/article2137539/