Layton Lionisation Excessive

[punked]

No other opposition leader in Canadian history has received a state funeral. Even other eminent Canadians - Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox, Ernest Smith - didn't receive the honour. I'm curious to know why you think Jack "deserved" it.

Name all the opposition leaders who died in office please.

[Guest Derek L]

I'm not sure of the process, will his deathbed letter have to be translated to Latin or Italian or both to be included in the application for sainthood?

Based on a prior precedent, I’m surprised he didn’t rise from the dead the other day……

[capricorn]

I fail to see your point.

I'm not surprised.

So Jack wanted people to donate to an Institute he promised to set up 3 years ago?

Regardless, obviously someone screwed up because we now learn it isn't going to happen as originally envisioned by the NDP.

On the eve of Jack Layton’s funeral, New Democratic Party officials were scrambling to resolve Elections Canada concerns about the processing of donations in his memory intended for a left-wing think–tank.

The NDP worked with Elections Canada on Friday to find a way to handle contributions made through the website that were intended for the Broadbent Institute.

---

The Elections Act specifically prohibits parties from soliciting donations by saying they the money will go to another entity, which appeared to be the case with the NDP-Broadbent Institute donations.

Brad Lavigne, principal secretary to Layton, said the party has revised the way it will handle donations and will instead direct them to the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation, another left-wing organization that promotes social democratic causes.

Once the Broadbent Institute is up and running, Douglas-Coldwell will give it a grant in the full amount of the donations received.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/working+with+Elections+Canada+over+concerns+about+donations+Broadbent/5313210/story.html

Looks like the concerns I raised in my post were well founded. The NDP jumped the gun with this but to their credit they fixed the gaffe rather quickly. I'm sure a lesson was learned: look, not once but twice, before you leap even when you feel pressed into action.

No wait I am not that was just the type of man Jack was, a promise keeper.

I can't speak for his time as TO City Councillor but at the federal level Jack thrived on making promises and to his credit was consistent in the promises he made.

Edited August 26, 2011 by capricorn

[g_bambino]

Name all the opposition leaders who died in office please.

None, so far as I know. I'm not sure how that explains why Layton "deserves" a state funeral, though. No other country seems to automatically honour leaders of the opposition who die in office.

[+]

Edited August 26, 2011 by g_bambino

[punked]

I'm not surprised.

Regardless, obviously someone screwed up because we now learn it isn't going to happen.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/working+with+Elections+Canada+over+concerns+about+donations+Broadbent/5313210/story.html

Looks like the concerns I raised in my post were well founded. The NDP jumped the gun with this but to their credit they fixed the gaffe rather quickly. I'm sure a lesson was learned: look, not once but twice, before you leap even when you feel pressed into action.

I can't speak for his time as TO City Councillor but at the federal level Jack thrived on making promises and to his credit was consistent in the promises he made.

Nothing to worry about the donations are going back to the donors so they can donate them to the Douglas-Coldwell Foundation as to set up Broadbent foundation and keep that promise. Elections Canada didn't think the way the NDP were doing was legal so they fixed the problem. You clearly didn't understand the article or you just hoped so much it said something it didn't. Not a big deal. Sorry better stop wringing your hands.

[punked]

None, so far as I know. I'm not sure how that explains why Layton "deserves" a state funeral, though.

None is the right answer.

Not to mention accept for a time during the King government when the Conservatives lost official opposition to the progressive party which had no leader and they won very few sets and had like 8 leaders over 15 years almost ALL opposition leaders in our past have become PM. Accepts are clearly Stanfield, Day, the Bloc leaders and the recent Liberal leaders. Those are the facts of our country most Opposition leaders have gotten state funerals because most became PM.

[capricorn]

Not a big deal.

It was a big deal when the NDP devised a donations scheme that would have resulted in taxpayer subsidization of said donations. Thankfully, it was made public and corrective action taken.

I find it sad that on the eve of his funeral, attention is once again taken away from Jack the person and his accomplishments as TO Councillor and NDP leader.

[Guest Derek L]

No other opposition leader in Canadian history has received a state funeral. Even other eminent Canadians - Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox, Ernest Smith - didn't receive the honour. I'm curious to know why you think Jack "deserved" it.

I don’t think he deserved a state funeral, but Harper giving him one was smart politics……..Ever seen the movie the Queen? Or better yet, remember when Diana died? The royalties initial reaction was to (rightfully in my view) deal with her death in a private manner and allow the Spencer family to take care of it……..Then the media whipped up the public in a outrage over the royalty being in Scotland on a hunting trip when her body was returned to England……….The there was outrage over the flag at Buckingham Palace not been at half mast etc………In the end, PM Tony Blair “suggested” the Queen relent to public pressure for fear of being alienated……….

Perhaps PM Harper and his advisers tried to pre-empte any potential backlash stirred up by the media over not showing enough sympathy towards Mr Layton…….if so, well played.

[Smallc]

None, so far as I know. I'm not sure how that explains why Layton "deserves" a state funeral, though. No other country seems to automatically honour leaders of the opposition who die in office.

Well, in fairness, it doesn't really matter what other countries do. The Prime Minister decided that it would be appropriate to have a state funeral for Jack Layton. I don't see why that's a problem.

[BubberMiley]

I find it sad that on the eve of his funeral, attention is once again taken away from Jack the person and his accomplishments as TO Councillor and NDP leader.

I guess that would make you even sadder after discussing it at length than you were before.

[bush_cheney2004]

Hey, was Tommy Douglas, "Greatest Canadian", given a state funeral? If not, time to dig him up and give Tommy his propers.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8262033

[Tilter]

You guys just can't wait until the man is finally six feet under to throw in a couple more kicks at him.

Just let the guy be dead in peace!

He was the leader of the opposition,many believed he would be the next prime minister.A prominent position in Canadian politics.

Like it or lump it he deserves the state funeral.

What bothers me is the motivation behind the criticism towards the media attention given to Jacks passing.

Shame on you!

WWWTT

so sayeth the NDP chief of the forum--- he was only a lucky politician who caught the temporary fancy of a politically jaded province who had no one else to vote for.

[Guest Derek L]

Hey, was Tommy Douglas, "Greatest Canadian", given a state funeral? If not, time to dig him up and give Tommy his propers.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8262033

That makes me wonder, will Layton be cremated (If so, what is the carbon footprint) or composted?

[Tilter]

Could it just be possible that the many Canadians who voted NDP in the last round, did so out of desperation for the fact that they've lost faith in the CPC and Liberals? Only to have their hopes dashed as Layton quickly succumbed to cancer? Hence the outpouring.

It is the death of HOPE for which they grieve...

did so out of desperation for the fact that they've lost faith in the CPC and Liberals

Shouldnt that line read " did so out of desperation for the fact that they've lost faith in the BLOC QUEBEQOIS and Liberals"??? The only place the NDP really shone was in Que.

[Tilter]

I'm not sure of the process, will his deathbed letter have to be translated to Latin or Italian or both to be included in the application for sainthood?

No need to apply--- He's there already :lol:

[capricorn]

I guess that would make you even sadder after discussing it at length than you were before.

At length?

Actually, I'm much happier now than I was when I wrote my original post regarding donations to the Broadbent Institute through the NDP website. I doubt I'm the only one who was concerned about the tax credit aspect of the donations scheme. Those who rightfully objected now know this won't happen. Not all Canadians want to subsidize a left wing think tank through the tax system, just as there are many who don't want to subsidize similar right wing organizations.

[Guest American Woman]

I think it would be odd if he wasn't given a state funeral.

[Argus]

Did you sleep through the last election? People did love him this much when he was alive.

Loved him? "Loved"?

I realize the emotional maturity of your typical NDP voter is well below the median but just how do you "love" a politician you have, in all likelihood, never met? This is the rude loud-mouth from the debates? This is the guy everyone joked looked, sounded and acted like a used car salesman? He kept his promises? Easy to do when you've never been in power. You can promise the world, then.

I didn't like him when he was alive. Why would I love him when dead? Watching the idiots being swept up by media hype standin in line for hours to see the closed casket of a politician whose only significant national accomplishment was watching his party benefit from the one-time fickleness of Quebec's voters only serves to reinforce my belief in the generally low IQ of the population at large and dippers in particular.

I'm not putting the guy down here. I'm just pointing out he wasn't exactly an esteemed national treasure with a long list of achievements as a politician. He was an imperfect man with a big mouth and an obsession for politics and bad ideas. His demise is a tragedy for his family and loved ones and I give them all my sympathy. But the herd lined up to see the casket? Uhm, no. And the treatment by the media you'd think he was a long-serving monarch who led us through arduous years of struggle as a people. Come on! This is just media hype and the weak minded, much like the Diana thing, only on a greatly lower scale.

Would I be crying if Harper keeled over? Christ no! No more than if any of the previous party leaders or prime ministers had died. I'd feel sorry for them and sorry for their families but hey, I'll save my tears for real people - the ones in my life, not the ones on my TV.

[capricorn]

Perhaps PM Harper and his advisers tried to pre-empte any potential backlash stirred up by the media over not showing enough sympathy towards Mr Layton…….if so, well played.

There is also the matter of appealing to the emotions of Quebecers. It's one way of softening the Conservative image in La Belle Province.

[capricorn]

That makes me wonder, will Layton be cremated (If so, what is the carbon footprint) or composted?

http://www.ledevoir.com/galeries-photos/jack-layton-vu-par-garnotte

[Guest Derek L]

There is also the matter of appealing to the emotions of Quebecers. It's one way of softening the Conservative image in La Belle Province.

Good point, I didn’t think of that……..and to be honest, who really cares…….give the guy his day, and in all actuality, the cost of the state funeral is probably cheaper then paying his wages until the next election…….

[capricorn]

Would I be crying if Harper keeled over? Christ no! No more than if any of the previous party leaders or prime ministers had died. I'd feel sorry for them and sorry for their families but hey, I'll save my tears for real people - the ones in my life, not the ones on my TV.

Ditto.

[WWWTT]

No need to apply--- He's there already :lol:

Please do not add laughing smily faces in your comments in regards to someone who has died of cancer-Please!

It is very disrespectful and hurtfull

Please do not continue making such comments.

WWWTT

[Guest Derek L]

http://www.ledevoir.com/galeries-photos/jack-layton-vu-par-garnotte

Dear Communist god in socilaist heaven………I just spilled my bottle of beer on the desk, and well standing up, broke one of the armrests on my chair...I’m being haunted by the guy

[bush_cheney2004]

Now that I think about it, Jack did have a resemblance to Lenin (in his tomb). Think of the ticket sales and tourist revenue from a similar mausoleum experience in Canada. You be the judge....