In his final days, Jack Layton penned a letter to New Democrats and Canadians in which he looked toward the future, refusing to let his vision of Canada die.
A consummate politician to the very end, Mr. Layton laid out how he thought the party should proceed without him, advising that it convene a leadership convention “as early as possible in the New Year.” He even recommended that Nycole Turmel, the rookie Quebec MP who he had advised be Interim Leader while he battled cancer, continue in her role.
The two-page letter was written Saturday – less than 48 hours before he died. “Unfortunately, my treatment has not worked out as I hoped,” he wrote. “So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.”
He also gave it to his chief of staff Anne McGrath, who along with party president Brian Topp, met with him Saturday for four hours.
There was so much he still wanted to do. And so in his letter he addressed Canadians directly, telling them to give his MPs “a careful hearing” as they will put “a compelling new alternative to you.”
To his “fellow Quebeckers,” he wrote that they made the “right decision” on May 2, electing 59 MPs from that province. “You decided the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country.”
To his party members, he wrote of how much they have achieved in the eight years since he took over the leadership and to continue on by forming government in the next election.
To his MPs, he wrote that caucus meetings were the “highlight of my week.” He warned them that Canadians would be watching them closely, saying he knows they will make New Democrats proud through their teamwork and solidarity.
Just before he signed off, Mr. Layton, who always practiced civility in politics, said: “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.”
The full text of his letter follows:
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August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario
Dear Friends,
Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.
Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.
I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.
A few additional thoughts:
To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.
To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.
