Layton’s Funeral Stirs the Nation

It takes something pretty special to unite Harper, Ford, Duceppe, Chrétien, McDonough, and Stephen Page.

Basking in the CN Tower’s orange glow, thousands gathered in downtown Toronto for Jack Layton’s state funeral Saturday as the nation watched the ceremony at Roy Thomson Hall. Former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis delivered a rousing eulogy and called Layton’s last letter a “manifesto for social democracy”— a claim that drew a standing ovation from the crowd of mourners and a slightly more tentative, awkward ovation from Harper. The family has announced that Jack's ashes will be spread between the Toronto Islands where Jack married Olivia, his birthplace in Hudson, Quebec, and St. James Cemetery in downtown Toronto. In addition to being the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, Jack Layton was a contributor to The Mark. His articles can be seen here.

The Mark News reflects on what Jack meant to a new generation of Canadians. Read our commentary here.

Read more about Jack Layton's lasting legacy here.