Feature Story                                                                                    Tuesday August 30, 2011

Goodbye Jack

Chilliwack says farewell to federal opposition leader

Staff/Voice photos

Chilliwack residents gather for a candlelight vigil Saturday at Central Community Park in memory of the late NDP leader Jack Layton

n Saturday, a memorial service was held for NDP leader Jack Layton. The event was hosted by local NDP party members who invited the public to Central Community Park to share their stories and personal experiences about Layton.

Chilliwack-Hope NDP candidate Gwen O'Mahony and former Chilliwack-Kent NDP candidate, Rollie Keith, local party president Al Ens and Stó:lō leader Eddie Gardiner were there to speak.

Gardiner opened the memorial with a prayer and his Eagle Vision drum song.

Keith ran in the 2004 federal election under the Layton banner and the Ed Broadbent and Audrey McLaughlin campaigns in 1993.

He talked about his personal connection with Layton saying, "when I ran with the Jack Layton team in 2004, it was an honour to see not only Jack do so well, and to be part of his team, but for the first time in the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon (riding) we came a significant second because of the work that you and a lot of other New Democrats did."

Today we come together to celebrate the life of Jack Layton.

"I first met Jack almost ten-years ago, when he came to observe a party-federal council (in Montreal), and he was sizing up the party and building his space to seek the party's national leadership," explained Keith.

"He was to me, and many other activists, a somewhat-hippie political science professor from Ryerson (university) and a Toronto city councilor and I, like many activists within the party, did not support him at that time, but he built his support and he earned a well-deserved first-ballot win in the January 2003 leadership convention."

"Our Jack, yes, our Jack had just demonstrated the first of his very significant national accomplishments that have since placed him into the hearts of all Canadians."

"Jack earned because his personality and values resonated with Canadians and his sincere commitment to build a better country," said Keith.

Keith referred to Layton as a "focused leader and a genuine friend to all" and that he was the "quintessential New Democrat".

"His vision of a better world was very clear and he knew what it would look like and how we could get there," said Keith.

O'Mahony talked about what it was like to meet Layton at a party fundraiser.

"I ensured that before I made the decision to run as a federal candidate that I met with Jack Layton and I remember we were at a fundraising event. It was an intimate gathering"

"He was quite a character, and when I met Jack he looked at me and I looked into his eyes and I saw kindness and that was my first impression, and that was the right impression of Jack Layton," said O'Mahony.

Songs were provided by local musician Michael Blanchard.

See more photos below.

© Copyright (c) 2011 The Valley Voice

The end of the gallery. Thanks for looking. Return to the main page here.