LONG-TIME New Democrats from the North Shore paid tribute to their late party leader Jack Layton this week as dignitaries prepared for a state funeral in Toronto Saturday.
Layton died Monday of cancer at 61, less than four months after leading the federal NDP to a historic second-place finish in the federal election, catapulting the perennial also-ran party to Official Opposition.
"Jack accomplished what many thought was impossible," said David Schreck, a political commentator and former NDP MLA who has been a party member for more than four decades. "Jack was a miracle worker for the NDP."
Craig Keating, councillor for the City of North Vancouver and provincial NDP candidate, credited Layton's success with his resolute belief that the party was a serious contender. "He was campaigning to be prime minister, and he was never blown off track," said Keating.
"The real contribution of Jack to the NDP in Canada is that determination to make us (a) relevant national party competing for government."
Both Keating and Schreck pointed to Layton's optimism as a key part of his personal popularity.
"He was determinedly optimistic," said Keating, adding Layton sometimes took heat for that. "He didn't get swayed from his beliefs."
Layton was also pragmatic, said Keating. "He talked relentlessly about what he called kitchentable issues" - practical issues that voters could relate to their day-to-day lives.
Terry Platt, federal NDP candidate for West Vancouver in the last election, also recalled Layton's talent for remembering people and making them feel they mattered. Platt said she recalled telling Layton at one meeting, "'You will be a wonderful prime minister.' He said, 'That would be nice, but it's all up to you. I have faith in you.'"
"He had a way of just making people feel important."
Platt said she'd last seen Layton at the federal NDP convention in June and had hoped since his announcement in July that he was stepping down that no news was good news.
Both Keating and Schreck said they were shocked but not surprised to hear the news of Layton's death early Monday morning.
While "Jack's absence creates a huge hole," Keating said he's confident the party will press on with a new leader and will be able to capitalize on Layton's success.
"That's the way he would have wanted it," he said.
Schreck added one saving grace for the NDP is that no election is expected for several years, which will give the party time to pick a leader and introduce that person to Canadians.
Platt said she found inspiration in Layton's last letter to Canadians. "I see him in his last letter to us as telling us to carry on," she said. "He said to Canada: 'Don't give up.'"
A book of condolences is available for the public to sign until Sept. 2 at the office of North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton. The office is at 102 Third Street West and is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday.
