Death and state funeral of Jack Layton
Encyclopedia
On August 22, 2011, Canadian New Democratic Party
leader and Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton
died after a bout from an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer
. Prior to his recent diagnosis, Layton led his party to gain a historic rise in seats (from 37 seats to 103) during the 2011 federal election. His state funeral
was held on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at Roy Thomson Hall
in Toronto
. Protocol does not mandate state funerals for a Leader of the Opposition as it does for Prime Ministers
and Governors General
, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper
used his discretion to offer the honour, via the Governor General-in-Council
, to Layton's widow Olivia Chow
. Harper is the leader of the Conservative Party
, and one of the opponents of Layton and the NDP. Layton's death sparked a wave of mourning from Canadians of various political beliefs.
In the early hours of August 24, the flag-draped casket was taken from a Toronto funeral home with Toronto Police Service
escort towards Ottawa
. The hearse arrived in Ottawa, was greeted by a Guard of Honour
of Royal Canadian Mounted Police
officers, and the casket was taken into the Centre Block
by pallbearers from the Guard of Honour to lie in state in the lobby for the House of Commons for two days. To a 15 gun salute, the cortege departed Ottawa to Gatineau
, Quebec
, and Layton's body was then moved to Toronto (via escort from Toronto Police) to lie in repose at Toronto City Hall
. There, the casket was taken from the hearse by Toronto Police pallbearers into the Rotunda until Saturday's funeral.
On August 27, Layton's casket was transported from Toronto City Hall to Roy Thomson Hall via mounted police
escort. Thousands of people lined the procession route and the event was covered nationwide by Canada's major media outlets.
. He noted that his father Robert Layton
had suffered from the same type of cancer 17 years before and recovered from it. His wife, Olivia Chow
, had also recovered from thyroid cancer
a few years before. He vowed to beat the cancer and said it would not interrupt his duties as member of Parliament or as leader of the NDP.
Following the 2011 federal election, Layton announced on July 25, 2011, that he would be taking a temporary leave from his post to fight an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer
. There was little discussion as to its type or prognosis, but it has been suggested that is was metastasis
into bone cancer or lymphoma
. He was hoping to return as leader of the NDP upon the resumption of the House of Commons on September 19, 2011. Layton recommended that NDP caucus chair Nycole Turmel
serve as interim leader during his leave of absence. Layton died at 4:45 a.m. ET
on August 22, 2011, at his home in Toronto
, Ontario
.
said, "He was a great Canadian. He gave his life to this country. His commitment to social justice and equality and a better Canada in the world and at home. I think that’s how people saw him, they saw the courage that he had. He faced cancer and he kept on working, doing his job, because he felt so strongly about what he believed in." Governor General
David Johnston
expressed "As leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, Mr. Layton was held in great esteem by Canadians for his passionate dedication to the public good... His fundamental decency and his love of our country serve as examples to us all, and he will be greatly missed." Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
said: "On behalf of all Canadians, I salute Jack's contribution to public life, a contribution that will be sorely missed. I know one thing: Jack gave his fight against cancer everything he had. Indeed, Jack never backed down from any fight." He also expressed regret that he and Layton, both musicians, had never gotten the opportunity to make good on their promise to "jam" together.
The United States Ambassador to Canada David Jacobson
said, "I just received the sad news that Jack Layton has passed away. On behalf of my family as well as the American people I want to express our sorrow to Jack's wife Olivia Chow, his family, and his friends and supporters across Canada. I will never forget the image of Jack campaigning as the happy warrior. His energy, enthusiasm and passion for politics and for the Canadian people were undeniable. Something I will never forget. A standard for all of us."
Spontaneous remembrance gatherings were held in communities across the country, including Ottawa
, Toronto
, Vancouver
, Montreal
, Halifax, St. John's
, Calgary
, Edmonton
, Quebec City
, Sherbrooke, Victoria
, Surrey
, Winnipeg
, Brantford, Sarnia
, Guelph
, Sudbury, and Corner Brook. In Toronto, coloured chalk messages of condolences and appreciation to Layton and his family came to cover all of Nathan Phillips Square
in front of Toronto City Hall
, to such an extent that city archivists photographed the messages for posterity. Many municipalities offered books of condolences for residents to sign, as did NDP MPs' constituency offices, and the Canadian National Exhibition
created a Messages of Sympathy wall for the public to sign. There are currently several grassroots proposals to rename landmarks in Jack Layton's memory, including one for Jack Layton Square in Toronto, and one for Jack Layton Boulevard in Montreal.
On the evening following Layton's funeral, the CN Tower
and the Niagara Falls
were lit in orange (the colour of the NDP) in his honour from sunset to sunrise.
In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to the Broadbent Institute, an NDP think-tank named after Layton's mentor and former NDP leader Ed Broadbent
. However, since the Broadbent Institute has not been incorporated and lacks charity status, the donations will go to the NDP, which maintains that these funds will be transferred to institute coffers in due course. Donations to political parties come with a 75% tax rebate, compared to 25% for charities registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. Elections Canada warned the NDP that it was skirting the law, forcing the party to make changes on its website regarding the donations. Donors would be informed that the party could not issue a tax receipt, and those wishing to obtain refunds could do so. Following the correction, donations were being directed to the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation
, a registered charity.
at the House of Commons foyer and was open to the public from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday then at Toronto City Hall
on Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Four Parliamentary security officers were assigned to flank the casket in Ottawa. The funeral began at 2 p.m EST.
, of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
, days before stepping aside as the leader of the NDP, to arrange four meetings regarding the procedures of his funeral. Hawkes says that even in private, Layton was still confident he would return, but was preparing for all possibilities including his potential death. Layton asked Hawkes to officiate the service.
The honourary pall-bearers were former NDP leaders/MPs Ed Broadbent
, Audrey McLaughlin
, and Alexa McDonough
; Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, and Darrell Dexter
, Premier of Nova Scotia; former Manitoba premier Gary Doer
, now Ambassador of Canada to the USA, and Roy Romanow
, former premier of Saskatchewan; Brad Lavigne
, Layton's Principal Secretary while Leader of the Opposition and Bob Gallagher, former Chief of Staff to Layton, and Jamey Heath
, Former Research and Communications Director for the NDP; Marilyn Churley, Tim Flannery
, Ken Neumann (National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers), Winnie Ng, Joy MacPhail
, and Charles Taylor
.
Prior to the formal commencement of the ceremony, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
performed "Pifa" from Handel's Messiah
, and jazz musician Richard Underhill
performed Van Morrison
's "Into the Mystic
" and Johann Sebastian Bach
's Magnificat.
The choir from the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto sang the processional as the coffin was carried in, followed by a performance of "O Canada
" by singer Joy Klopp and pianist Diane Leah.
Shawn Atleo
, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations
, delivered a blessing on behalf of Canada's First Nations
community, followed by welcome messages from Hawkes and former New Democratic Party president Anne McGrath
.
Passages from a variety of religious traditions were read: a passage from the Bible
by Nycole Turmel
, a passage from the Torah
by Myer Siemiatycki of Ryerson University
and a passage from the Quran by Tasleem Riaz of the Asian Communities Council of Canada.
Stephen Lewis
, Karl Bélanger
, Mike Layton
and Sarah Layton delivered the eulogy. The Rev. Hawkes gave the sermon. Lorraine Segato
of The Parachute Club sang "Rise Up", and Martin Deschamps
sang his song "Croire". Steven Page
, formerly of Barenaked Ladies
, sang Leonard Cohen
's "Hallelujah"; Page lives in Layton's riding and has performed at NDP benefit concerts in the past. According to CBC News
, k.d. lang
's recording of "Hallelujah", from her album Hymns of the 49th Parallel
, was playing in Layton's room when he died.
At the end of the ceremony, Layton's casket was carried out as jazz singer Julie Michels sang "Get Together". Organist Christopher Dawes performed Oscar Peterson
's "Hymn to Freedom" as the congregation left the service.
where he was raised, on Toronto Island
, where he was married and at the St. James Cemetery
in Toronto, near where he lived.
and Stephen LeDrew
anchored live from Nathan Phillips Square on August 26, the day of public visitations at Toronto City Hall. On the day of the funeral, they started their broadcast at 7 am. All of Canada's major television networks aired the ceremony live. Peter Mansbridge
hosted coverage on CBC
, Lloyd Robertson
hosted on CTV
, Dawna Friesen
hosted on Global
, Avery Haines
and Francis D'Souza
cohosted on Citytv
and Céline Galipeau
anchored on Radio-Canada
. CBC Radio One
and Première Chaîne also carried the broadcast on radio. Alison Smith
and Michael Enright cohosted on Radio One, and Joane Prince hosted on Première Chaîne. For Robertson, this was his last major television event, as he retired the following week.
The ceremony was screened live in adjacent Pecaut Square
and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Toronto to accommodate overflow crowds not able to be seated in Roy Thomson Hall, as well as in Montreal
, Vancouver
, Victoria
, Quebec City
, Saskatoon
and other communities.
, suggesting Harper did not want to come across as detached, as Queen Elizabeth II did in the previous scenario. Kay wrote "pre-empted condemnation of his aloofness detachment from human emotion by ordering a state funeral in order to satisfy the teddy-bear grief needs of a nation." Toronto Sun
columnist Mike Strobel
argued that the grief was over the top, celebrating Layton as a martyr greater in death than life.
However, other columnists such as the National Post
's John Moore
responded to arguments of this kind by saying that the public outpouring of sympathy was sincere and the government's gestures were entirely appropriate, given Layton's lifelong contributions in the public interest and the circumstances of his death.
Several activist groups accompanied their condolences of Layton's death by drawing attention to their causes, and a columnist suggested that this posturing could cause cynicism about their public declarations of sympathies.
An Angus Reid Public Opinion
survey conducted on August 25 and 26 by representative online panel found that over eight in ten Canadians, including majorities in every region and at least seven in ten Canadians who had voted for other parties in the 2011 election, supported a state funeral for Layton.
announced that she planned to sculpt and donate three different bronze statues of Layton: one to be located on Parliament Hill
, one for Layton's riding of Toronto—Danforth
, and one for his home town of Hudson, Quebec
. Vivot had previously sculpted a likeness of NDP founder Tommy Douglas
for Douglas's hometown of Weyburn, Saskatchewan
.
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader and Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
died after a bout from an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Prior to his recent diagnosis, Layton led his party to gain a historic rise in seats (from 37 seats to 103) during the 2011 federal election. His state funeral
State funerals in Canada
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 Cabinet's discretion, other eminent Canadians...
was held on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Protocol does not mandate state funerals for a Leader of the Opposition as it does for Prime Ministers
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
and Governors General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
used his discretion to offer the honour, via the Governor General-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, to Layton's widow Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow is a Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament and former city councillor in Toronto. She won the Trinity—Spadina riding for the New Democratic Party on January 23, 2006, becoming a member of the Canadian House of Commons. Most recently, she was re-elected in her riding for...
. Harper is the leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, and one of the opponents of Layton and the NDP. Layton's death sparked a wave of mourning from Canadians of various political beliefs.
In the early hours of August 24, the flag-draped casket was taken from a Toronto funeral home with Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
escort towards Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. The hearse arrived in Ottawa, was greeted by a Guard of Honour
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
of Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
officers, and the casket was taken into the Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
by pallbearers from the Guard of Honour to lie in state in the lobby for the House of Commons for two days. To a 15 gun salute, the cortege departed Ottawa to Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and Layton's body was then moved to Toronto (via escort from Toronto Police) to lie in repose at Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
. There, the casket was taken from the hearse by Toronto Police pallbearers into the Rotunda until Saturday's funeral.
On August 27, Layton's casket was transported from Toronto City Hall to Roy Thomson Hall via mounted police
Mounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
escort. Thousands of people lined the procession route and the event was covered nationwide by Canada's major media outlets.
Illness
On February 5, 2010, Layton announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. He noted that his father Robert Layton
Robert Layton
Robert Edward John "Bob" Layton, PC was a Canadian politician.-Early career:Robert Layton was born in Montreal, the son of Norah Lestelle and former Quebec cabinet minister Gilbert Layton. He graduated from McGill University in 1947...
had suffered from the same type of cancer 17 years before and recovered from it. His wife, Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow is a Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament and former city councillor in Toronto. She won the Trinity—Spadina riding for the New Democratic Party on January 23, 2006, becoming a member of the Canadian House of Commons. Most recently, she was re-elected in her riding for...
, had also recovered from thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid neoplasm is a neoplasm or tumor of the thyroid. It can be a benign tumor such as thyroid adenoma, or it can be a malignant neoplasm , such as papillary, follicular, medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer. Most patients are 25 to 65 years of age when first diagnosed; women are more affected...
a few years before. He vowed to beat the cancer and said it would not interrupt his duties as member of Parliament or as leader of the NDP.
Following the 2011 federal election, Layton announced on July 25, 2011, that he would be taking a temporary leave from his post to fight an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. There was little discussion as to its type or prognosis, but it has been suggested that is was metastasis
Metastasis
Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
into bone cancer or lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
. He was hoping to return as leader of the NDP upon the resumption of the House of Commons on September 19, 2011. Layton recommended that NDP caucus chair Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel, MP is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, representing the electoral district of Hull—Aylmer, and became interim leader of the New Democratic Party after leader Jack...
serve as interim leader during his leave of absence. Layton died at 4:45 a.m. ET
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on August 22, 2011, at his home in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Tributes
Upon hearing the news, NDP deputy leader Libby DaviesLibby Davies
Libby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
said, "He was a great Canadian. He gave his life to this country. His commitment to social justice and equality and a better Canada in the world and at home. I think that’s how people saw him, they saw the courage that he had. He faced cancer and he kept on working, doing his job, because he felt so strongly about what he believed in." Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
David Johnston
David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston is a Canadian academic, author and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation....
expressed "As leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, Mr. Layton was held in great esteem by Canadians for his passionate dedication to the public good... His fundamental decency and his love of our country serve as examples to us all, and he will be greatly missed." Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
said: "On behalf of all Canadians, I salute Jack's contribution to public life, a contribution that will be sorely missed. I know one thing: Jack gave his fight against cancer everything he had. Indeed, Jack never backed down from any fight." He also expressed regret that he and Layton, both musicians, had never gotten the opportunity to make good on their promise to "jam" together.
The United States Ambassador to Canada David Jacobson
David Jacobson (diplomat)
David Cary Jacobson is an American lawyer who is the current United States Ambassador to Canada.A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University Law Center, he spent much of his career working in the Chicago offices of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, a major international law firm...
said, "I just received the sad news that Jack Layton has passed away. On behalf of my family as well as the American people I want to express our sorrow to Jack's wife Olivia Chow, his family, and his friends and supporters across Canada. I will never forget the image of Jack campaigning as the happy warrior. His energy, enthusiasm and passion for politics and for the Canadian people were undeniable. Something I will never forget. A standard for all of us."
Spontaneous remembrance gatherings were held in communities across the country, including Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Halifax, St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Sherbrooke, Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Surrey
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Brantford, Sarnia
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.Sarnia may also refer to:* Sarnia, the Roman name for the island of Guernsey, Channel Islands** Sarnia Cherie, its national anthem**A piano suite by John Ireland, written about Guernsey....
, Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Sudbury, and Corner Brook. In Toronto, coloured chalk messages of condolences and appreciation to Layton and his family came to cover all of Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965, and, as with the City Hall, the square was...
in front of Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
, to such an extent that city archivists photographed the messages for posterity. Many municipalities offered books of condolences for residents to sign, as did NDP MPs' constituency offices, and the Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
created a Messages of Sympathy wall for the public to sign. There are currently several grassroots proposals to rename landmarks in Jack Layton's memory, including one for Jack Layton Square in Toronto, and one for Jack Layton Boulevard in Montreal.
On the evening following Layton's funeral, the CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
and the Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
were lit in orange (the colour of the NDP) in his honour from sunset to sunrise.
In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to the Broadbent Institute, an NDP think-tank named after Layton's mentor and former NDP leader Ed Broadbent
Ed Broadbent
John Edward "Ed" Broadbent, is a Canadian social democratic politician and political scientist. He was leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. In the 2004 federal election, he returned to Parliament for one additional term as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.-Life...
. However, since the Broadbent Institute has not been incorporated and lacks charity status, the donations will go to the NDP, which maintains that these funds will be transferred to institute coffers in due course. Donations to political parties come with a 75% tax rebate, compared to 25% for charities registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. Elections Canada warned the NDP that it was skirting the law, forcing the party to make changes on its website regarding the donations. Donors would be informed that the party could not issue a tax receipt, and those wishing to obtain refunds could do so. Following the correction, donations were being directed to the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation
Douglas-Coldwell Foundation
The Douglas-Coldwell Foundation is a Canadian think tank devoted, in the words of its slogan, to "promoting education and research into social democracy." It was founded in 1971, and is based in Ottawa....
, a registered charity.
Posthumous letter
Following Layton's death, his family released an open letter, written by Layton two days before his death. In the letter, he expressed his wishes regarding the NDP's leadership in the event of his death, and addressed various segments of the Canadian population.Lying in state, lying in repose
In the week before the funeral, Layton's body was laid in state at Parliament HillParliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
at the House of Commons foyer and was open to the public from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday then at Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
on Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Four Parliamentary security officers were assigned to flank the casket in Ottawa. The funeral began at 2 p.m EST.
State funeral service
Layton called Rev. Brent HawkesBrent Hawkes
Brent Hawkes, is a Canadian clergyman. Since 1977, he has served as senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto for LGBT parishioners, and is one of Canada's leading gay rights activists....
, of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
The Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto is a congregation of the worldwide Metropolitan Community Church movement located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is an welcoming congregation openly affirming lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual and transgender people...
, days before stepping aside as the leader of the NDP, to arrange four meetings regarding the procedures of his funeral. Hawkes says that even in private, Layton was still confident he would return, but was preparing for all possibilities including his potential death. Layton asked Hawkes to officiate the service.
The honourary pall-bearers were former NDP leaders/MPs Ed Broadbent
Ed Broadbent
John Edward "Ed" Broadbent, is a Canadian social democratic politician and political scientist. He was leader of the federal New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. In the 2004 federal election, he returned to Parliament for one additional term as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre.-Life...
, Audrey McLaughlin
Audrey McLaughlin
Audrey McLaughlin, PC, OC was leader of Canada's New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1995. She was the first female leader of a political party with representation in the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first federal political party leader to represent an electoral district in a Canadian...
, and Alexa McDonough
Alexa McDonough
Alexa Ann Shaw McDonough OC is a Canadian politician who became the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Canada, when she was elected the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party's leader in 1980...
; Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, and Darrell Dexter
Darrell Dexter
Darrell Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who is serving as the 27th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. A member of the New Democratic Party, he has led the Nova Scotia NDP since 2001. He was elected Premier in 2009 after defeating...
, Premier of Nova Scotia; former Manitoba premier Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
, now Ambassador of Canada to the USA, and Roy Romanow
Roy Romanow
Roy John Romanow, PC, OC, QC, SOM is a Canadian politician and the 12th Premier of Saskatchewan ....
, former premier of Saskatchewan; Brad Lavigne
Brad Lavigne
Brad Lavigne is the national director of the New Democratic Party of Canada.Prior to this appointment in March 2009, Lavigne served as the party's director of communications following Jack Layton’s leadership victory in 2003....
, Layton's Principal Secretary while Leader of the Opposition and Bob Gallagher, former Chief of Staff to Layton, and Jamey Heath
Jamey Heath
Jamey Heath is a political activist in Ontario, Canada. He was the research and communications director for the New Democratic Party under Jack Layton until shortly after the 2006 federal election...
, Former Research and Communications Director for the NDP; Marilyn Churley, Tim Flannery
Tim Flannery
Timothy Fridtjof Flannery is an Australian mammalogist, palaeontologist, environmentalist and global warming activist....
, Ken Neumann (National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers), Winnie Ng, Joy MacPhail
Joy MacPhail
Joy MacPhail is a former Canadian politician in British Columbia. A longtime member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, she served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 2005 and as a Minister of the Crown from 1993-1999, and 2000-2001.MacPhail was born in Hamilton,...
, and Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor (philosopher)
Charles Margrave Taylor, is a Canadian philosopher from Montreal, Quebec best known for his contributions in political philosophy, the philosophy of social science, and in the history of philosophy. His contributions to these fields have earned him both the prestigious Kyoto Prize and the...
.
Prior to the formal commencement of the ceremony, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
performed "Pifa" from Handel's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
, and jazz musician Richard Underhill
Richard Underhill
Richard Underhill is a Canadian jazz saxophonist. A founding member of the jazz fusion group The Shuffle Demons, he has toured Europe and Canada to critical acclaim for over 27 years. Underhill won a 2003 Juno Award for his jazz solo debut Tales from the Blue Lounge, and was nominated for the Prix...
performed Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's "Into the Mystic
Into the Mystic
"Into the Mystic" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and featured on his 1970 album Moondance. It was also included on Morrison's 1974 live album, It's Too Late To Stop Now....
" and Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's Magnificat.
The choir from the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto sang the processional as the coffin was carried in, followed by a performance of "O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
" by singer Joy Klopp and pianist Diane Leah.
Shawn Atleo
Shawn Atleo
Shawn A-in-chut Atleo is a Canadian First Nations activist and the current national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Formerly the AFN's regional chief in British Columbia, he was selected as the new national chief of the AFN at its leadership convention on July 23, 2009, defeating Perry...
, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
, delivered a blessing on behalf of Canada's First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
community, followed by welcome messages from Hawkes and former New Democratic Party president Anne McGrath
Anne McGrath
Anne McGrath was the Chief of Staff to Jack Layton, the late leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. As Chief of Staff to Jack Layton , she is credited with professionalizing caucus operations and co-designing Layton’s historic breakthrough to Official Opposition status...
.
Passages from a variety of religious traditions were read: a passage from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
by Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel, MP is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, representing the electoral district of Hull—Aylmer, and became interim leader of the New Democratic Party after leader Jack...
, a passage from the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
by Myer Siemiatycki of Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
and a passage from the Quran by Tasleem Riaz of the Asian Communities Council of Canada.
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Henry Lewis, is a Canadian politician, broadcaster and diplomat. He was the leader of the social democratic Ontario New Democratic Party for most of the 1970s. During many of the those years as leader, his father David Lewis was simultaneously the leader of the Federal New Democratic Party...
, Karl Bélanger
Karl Belanger
Karl Bélanger is the Senior press secretary for Canada's New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton. He was named principal secretary for Quebec in spring 2009....
, Mike Layton
Mike Layton
Michael Layton is a Canadian politician, who was elected to Toronto City Council in the 2010 city council election to succeed Joe Pantalone in Ward 19.-Background:...
and Sarah Layton delivered the eulogy. The Rev. Hawkes gave the sermon. Lorraine Segato
Lorraine Segato
Lorraine Segato is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for and a principal songwriter of new wave and pop rock group Parachute Club, with which she continues to perform.- History :...
of The Parachute Club sang "Rise Up", and Martin Deschamps
Martin Deschamps
Martin Deschamps is a Canadian rock singer from Quebec. He records and performs both as a solo artist and as the lead vocalist for the reunited Offenbach.-Young age:...
sang his song "Croire". Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
, formerly of Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
, sang Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
's "Hallelujah"; Page lives in Layton's riding and has performed at NDP benefit concerts in the past. According to CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
, k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
's recording of "Hallelujah", from her album Hymns of the 49th Parallel
Hymns of the 49th Parallel
Hymns of the 49th Parallel is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter k.d. lang, released in 2004. It is an album of songs by Lang's favourite Canadian songwriters, and includes remake version of her original composition initially appeared on 2000 album Invincible Summer.-Title:The...
, was playing in Layton's room when he died.
At the end of the ceremony, Layton's casket was carried out as jazz singer Julie Michels sang "Get Together". Organist Christopher Dawes performed Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
's "Hymn to Freedom" as the congregation left the service.
Interment
His ashes were scattered in three places, Wyman United Church in Hudson, QuebecHudson, Quebec
Hudson, Quebec, Canada, is a town with a population of 5,088 on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality. Situated about west of downtown Montreal, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal.- Location and...
where he was raised, on Toronto Island
Toronto Islands
The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Ontario. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour...
, where he was married and at the St. James Cemetery
St. James Cemetery (Toronto)
The Anglican St. James Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Toronto still in operation. Opened in 1844 as the burial ground for St. James Cathedral. To date over 89,000 interments and 75,000 cremations have taken place at the cemetery. Recognizing the growing trend towards cremation throughout the...
in Toronto, near where he lived.
Broadcasts
CP24's Ann RohmerAnn Rohmer
Ann Margaret Rohmer is a television personality on CP24 in Toronto, Canada.- Television career :In 1979, she hosted the syndicated program Show Biz. Hired by Global TV, she was a host on the award-winning magazine show That’s Life...
and Stephen LeDrew
Stephen LeDrew
Stephen Ralph LeDrew is currently hosting CP24 Live at Noon, plus he is a Toronto-based lawyer and broadcast commentator. He served as President of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1998 to 2003, and was a Mayor of Toronto candidate in the 2006 municipal election.-Legal career:As a lawyer, LeDrew...
anchored live from Nathan Phillips Square on August 26, the day of public visitations at Toronto City Hall. On the day of the funeral, they started their broadcast at 7 am. All of Canada's major television networks aired the ceremony live. Peter Mansbridge
Peter Mansbridge
Peter Mansbridge, OC , a Canadian broadcaster and news anchor, is the CBC News Chief Correspondent and anchor of The National, CBC Television's flagship nightly newscast. Mansbridge has received many awards and accolades for his journalistic work including an honorary doctorate from Mount Allison...
hosted coverage on CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, Lloyd Robertson
Lloyd Robertson
Lloyd Robertson, OC is the currently the co-host of CTV's weekly magazine series, W5. Robertson previously served as the chief anchor and senior editor of CTV's national evening newscast, CTV News with Lloyd Robertson, until September, 2011, when he retired from the CTV National News...
hosted on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, Dawna Friesen
Dawna Friesen
Award-winning journalist Dawna Friesen ushered in a new era at Global National as its second anchor and executive editor on September 20, 2010.Prior to joining Global National, Dawna served as NBC's foreign correspondent and anchor in London for 11 years...
hosted on Global
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, Avery Haines
Avery Haines
Avery Haines is a Canadian television journalist.-Career:Haines began her career as a reporter for CFRB in Toronto. In late 1999, she began to work as a fill-in anchor for CTV Newsnet....
and Francis D'Souza
Francis D'Souza
Francis D'Souza is a Canadian news anchor for Citytv in Toronto, Canada. D'Souza was the co-anchor of the station's noon newscast, which was cancelled in January 2010...
cohosted on Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
and Céline Galipeau
Céline Galipeau
Céline Galipeau, OQ is a Canadian news anchor for Radio-canada. Well-known for her comprehensive and insightful coverage from Moscow, she is currently the weekday anchor of the network's flagship newscast Le Téléjournal.-Early life:...
anchored on Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada is a Canadian French language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. Headquarters are at Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal, which is also home to the network's flagship station, CBFT-DT...
. CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
and Première Chaîne also carried the broadcast on radio. Alison Smith
Alison Smith
Alison Smith is a Canadian television and radio journalist and anchor. She graduated in 1972 from Southern Okanagan Secondary School in nearby Oliver, where her father Bruce Smith was a guidance counsellor...
and Michael Enright cohosted on Radio One, and Joane Prince hosted on Première Chaîne. For Robertson, this was his last major television event, as he retired the following week.
The ceremony was screened live in adjacent Pecaut Square
Pecaut Square
Pecaut Square is a large concrete-and granite-clad plaza located in front of Metro Hall in Toronto, Canada. The square supports the PATH network connection between Metro Hall and nearby buildings such as Metro Centre...
and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Toronto to accommodate overflow crowds not able to be seated in Roy Thomson Hall, as well as in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
and other communities.
Public and media comments
The unusually widespread show of public emotion from government, the media, and large numbers of private citizens drew some critical comment. National Post columnist Barbara Kay drew a link between the deaths of Layton and Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, suggesting Harper did not want to come across as detached, as Queen Elizabeth II did in the previous scenario. Kay wrote "pre-empted condemnation of his aloofness detachment from human emotion by ordering a state funeral in order to satisfy the teddy-bear grief needs of a nation." Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
columnist Mike Strobel
Mike Strobel
Mike Strobel is a Canadian journalist, currently a columnist for the Toronto Sun.After being graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University, Strobel joined the Calgary Sun in 1980. He moved to the Toronto Sun where he became managing editor in 1989 and subsequently its...
argued that the grief was over the top, celebrating Layton as a martyr greater in death than life.
However, other columnists such as the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
's John Moore
John Moore (broadcaster)
John Sanford Moore , better known as John Moore, is a Canadian radio and television broadcaster, film critic, actor, voice actor and comedian. He works for CFRB 1010 in Toronto, Ontario.-Early life:...
responded to arguments of this kind by saying that the public outpouring of sympathy was sincere and the government's gestures were entirely appropriate, given Layton's lifelong contributions in the public interest and the circumstances of his death.
Several activist groups accompanied their condolences of Layton's death by drawing attention to their causes, and a columnist suggested that this posturing could cause cynicism about their public declarations of sympathies.
An Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is an international public affairs practice. It was established in 2006 under the name Angus Reid Strategies by Dr Angus Reid, a Canadian sociologist who founded his first research company in 1979. Reid sold the Angus Reid Group to Paris-based Ipsos SA in 2000...
survey conducted on August 25 and 26 by representative online panel found that over eight in ten Canadians, including majorities in every region and at least seven in ten Canadians who had voted for other parties in the 2011 election, supported a state funeral for Layton.
Monuments
A month after Layton's death, sculptor Lea VivotLea Vivot
Category:1954 birthsCategory:Living peopleCategory:Canadian sculptorsCategory:Contemporary sculptorsCategory:20th-century sculptorsCategory:21st-century sculptorsCategory:Czech sculptorsCategory:Czech expatriatesCategory:Canadian women artists...
announced that she planned to sculpt and donate three different bronze statues of Layton: one to be located on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
, one for Layton's riding of Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. It lies to the east of Downtown Toronto....
, and one for his home town of Hudson, Quebec
Hudson, Quebec
Hudson, Quebec, Canada, is a town with a population of 5,088 on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality. Situated about west of downtown Montreal, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal.- Location and...
. Vivot had previously sculpted a likeness of NDP founder Tommy Douglas
Tommy Douglas
Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician...
for Douglas's hometown of Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
External links
- commemoration.gc.ca, the Federal government's website for State funerals
- Condolence book on NDP.ca