Sep
6
By Denise Savoie
VICTORIA - August 22, 2011 was a sad day for Canada. Jack Layton was a truly remarkable leader and a good friend. He was a great communicator who was genuine, caring and compassionate about the issues affecting Canadians from coast to coast.
Right to the end, Jack exuded positive energy. His legacy will be one of the hope and the confidence that together, we could build a better Canada, as evidenced by his own words in a letter released today:
"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."
I agree. We owe it to Jack, and to ourselves, to keep working to make that dream a reality.
Jack was a man who was not afraid of strong debate because he knew that solutions to problems will emerge from the respectful exchange of ideas. He wanted to create a space for that debate to occur and I admired his ability to encourage dialogue rather than shut it down.
His politics were positive and he was continuously building bridges. The hope and optimism that he expressed throughout his life was not superficial - there was always action and hard work behind his words. He epitomized public service, and did not ask anyone to do more than he was willing to do himself.
On a personal level, I will miss his friendship and support. This is a time of great sadness and loss for all Canadians. But I know that Jack would want us to come together to continue to fight for a country of greater equality, justice and opportunity.
I want to thank everyone who gathered for the candlelight vigil in Victoria in honour of Jack, and all those who took the time to sign the book of condolences, write, email or otherwise express how much Jack meant to you and to Canada.
To read the full text of Jack's letter, please follow this link: