Tag Archives: Jack Layton

Canada has lost a great human being and politician – Jack Layton

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Jack Layton, 1950-2011

When NDP leader Jack Layton addressed a special press conference several weeks ago, to announce that he had been diagnosed with another new cancer and that he would step down until September to focus on his treatment, I took one look at him and thought, “He won’t live long enough to see September. He’s got a few weeks left at best.” I shared this with several people on Twitter in private; I didn’t post it publicly so as not to discourage or demoralize anyone, least of all Jack himself. Unfortunately, as so often, I was proved right, although in this case I would have loved to be wrong. Jack Layton succumbed to his cancer this morning.

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Canada Votes: Latest Conservative smear campaign against Layton will backfire

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They might feel quite smug right now, to be sure, as Conservatives in Canada tend to be at most times. But this latest attempt to destroy the reputation of a decent man who simply happens to hold different political views will probably backfire – just as their ridiculing of Jean Chrétien’s facial features cost them the election in 1993.

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Canada Votes: Wake-up call for Canadians on May 2, courtesy of the NDP

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The Orange Revolution, that is, the inexorable surge of the NDP in the polls, is marching on at full steam ahead. Within 24 hours, the NDP went from 30% to 31% in popular support, with the Liberals falling further behind, to around 21%. At this rate, the Liberals could find themselves in the teens come election day, and the odds of the NDP, now almost in a statistical tie with the Conservatives, winning a minority are increasing, putting that particular scenario within the realm of the possible.

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Canada Votes: Orange Revolution fully under way

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It’s been compared to the Purple Revolution Calgarians engaged in in last year’s mayoral election when they overwhelmingly opted for Naheed Nenshi as mayor. Jack Layton’s rise in popularity – call it the Orange Revolution – doesn’t seem stoppable just days before election day, as a new poll shows the NDP at 30%.

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Canada Votes: Layton rides new popularity wave, Iggy prepares for new career as televangelist

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NDP leader Jack Layton is popular, yes, really popular. In Québec and Western Canada, his numbers are picking up speed. In the most recent poll, he is now Quebeckers’ first choice, while Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been sent to last place with only 9% of support.

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