MP Olivia Chow Thanks Canadians for Tributes to Late NDP Leader in Parliament

OTTAWA – Jack was one of us. Honest and hard-working, a community leader who gave his best for a fairer, more equal Canada. And people across the country continue to honour this special Canadian in myriad forms: through songs and poems, re-namings and dedications, scholarships and pieces of art.

As the first anniversary of the tragic loss gets closer, Olivia Chow took the opportunity to thank all Canadians for working on Jack’s legacy through a statement in Parliament:

Transcript:

Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, as Parliament will not be in session in August, I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for their support this year. I rise to thank Canadians everywhere for their inspiring tributes to the former leader of the opposition, Jack Layton.

I thank the City of Toronto for naming the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and the Town of Hudson, Quebec for the Jack Layton Memorial Park.

The Layton family thanks the many organizations that have named buildings, lounges and rooms in Jack’s honour, planted trees, created sculptures, mosaics and many other creative forms of commemoration.

There are also many inspiring fellowships and scholarships named to encourage young people to participate in making our country a better place for everyone.

Most of all, I thank the many Canadians, young and old, who have created poems, paintings, songs and films, keeping alive the spirit of love, hope and optimism.

Merci. Nous devons continuer à travailler ensemble pour bâtir un monde meilleur.