Never really agreed with most of his views on things but, he was a man who fought for what he believed in and fought what was in him, and that makes a man worth remembering

my sentiments exactly

Thank you, Stephen, for this.

He will be remembered,for some of us in a painful way but when someone shows the dignity that he showed, fighting this battle that deserves respect.

His brilliance in making his party a contender deserves a WOW but most importantly, his family has lost a husband, Dad and Grandpa. That is what should matter and matters the most to me.

Like many Canadians this morning, I was shocked and saddened to hear that Jack Layton had died. At 61, he was too young to die and his passing has, sadly, made the NDP’s victory in the last election bittersweet. 

My condolences to his family, friends, and party.

Rest eternal grant unto him, and may light perpetual shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Very well said, Stephen. Thanks as always.

RIP, Jack….  Condolences to Olivia and family.  Sorry you didn’t get to see your dreams through.  Even at the end you still thought of others and had a deep desire to make our country a better place.  You will be missed.

Mr.Rae was on The Agenda last night, gas-bagging hot air as usual. You would have thought that the hour-long segment eulogizing Jack Layton was all about him. I think he’s angling for a merger with the NDP, which would be much more beneficial to the Liberal$ than the 100+ -strong  NDP.

http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=7&bpn=109372&ts=2011-08-22%2020:00:00.0

Mr.Rae was on The Agenda last night, gas-bagging hot air as usual. You would have thought that the hour-long segment eulogizing Jack Layton was all about him. I think he’s angling for a merger with the NDP, which would be much more beneficial to the Liberal$ than the 100+ -strong  NDP.

http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=7&bpn=109372&ts=2011-08-22%2020:00:00.0

Stephen, this is a well articulated, post as always.

Stephen, this is a well articulated, post as always.

In the plot that backfired, the NDP , the Liberals and the Bloc were going for a coalition, Jack was the big wheel instigating that one, they would be the “team” that would take over the country. Of course one thing stood in their way, a majority Conservative government happened and foiled their wildest dream for seats with power.

After what has transpired, can anyone imagine the state of the country had that happened?

OMG, Liz. I’ve got an active imagination but I can’t even begin to imagine what a Coalition government would be doing to Canada now.

Our PM is quietly and competently going about his business, without any fanfare, to benefit all Canadians, not just special friends, cronies, and interests, which would definitely be the Coalition agenda.

Thank God, we’ve been spared that.

-face palm-

The media’s coverage of Layton’s passing is way too over the top for me… acceptable yesterday, perhaps, but not the next day… It’s time to move on in terms of it being THE top story. Layton’s funeral is the next time for that. Simply continuing the public condolences theme as the lead story is not acceptable, IMO. 

It’s like the passing of Diana… accept not on a global scale but how the media is treating it as a national issue. Too much fawning. Saw one of the news readers on Canada AM yesterday ask an NDP strategist yesterday, “Why was he so popular among Canadians?” And not in response to what the strategist had said, but her own views after an unrelated question had been answered.

Harper got more votes, a larger share of the popular votes, more seats… I doubt whether she’d ask a Tory strategist why PMSH is so popular with voters… unless it was sarcastically, with a snipe at a Tory strategist who had made that comment. 

Sorry, folks. Not trying to sound insensitive but the coverage is too much. It’s as if JFK had been assassinated… Global News Toronto even interviewed a psychiatrist, commenting on how people can deal with their grief…. worse, mass outpourings are cathartic.

Gimme a break.

The media’s coverage of Layton’s passing is way too over the top for me… acceptable yesterday, perhaps, but not the next day… It’s time to move on in terms of it being THE top story. Layton’s funeral is the next time for that. Simply continuing the public condolences theme as the lead story is not acceptable, IMO. 

It’s like the passing of Diana… accept not on a global scale but how the media is treating it as a national issue. Too much fawning. Saw one of the news readers on Canada AM yesterday ask an NDP strategist yesterday, “Why was he so popular among Canadians?” And not in response to what the strategist had said, but her own views after an unrelated question had been answered.

Harper got more votes, a larger share of the popular votes, more seats… I doubt whether she’d ask a Tory strategist why PMSH is so popular with voters… unless it was sarcastically, with a snipe at a Tory strategist who had made that comment. 

Sorry, folks. Not trying to sound insensitive but the coverage is too much. It’s as if JFK had been assassinated… Global News Toronto even interviewed a psychiatrist, commenting on how people can deal with their grief…. worse, mass outpourings are cathartic.

Gimme a break.

Ditto, Jon.

Ditto, Jon.

Uh huh.

The media’s coverage of Layton’s passing is way too over the top for me

That’s a fair comment. It’s particularly a big story in Toronto because of Layton’s long civic service here. But yeah, it’s a bit thick.

Harper got more votes, a larger share of the popular votes, more
seats… I doubt whether she’d ask a Tory strategist why PMSH is so
popular with voters

Don’t get your knickers in a knot. Apples and oranges. Party support isn’t always synonymous with the leader’s personal popularity.

Ask a Tory strategist, they’ll tell you that Harper is not exactly a charismatic leader. He’s respected for other qualities, though.

By contrast, even Layton’s political enemies recognize that he was a sincere and engaging person, a politician who genuinely dedicated his working and personal life to public service and the ideals he held. And 61 is too young for a such a positive and fruitful life to end. It is a loss to Canada. This is what we are pausing to observe.

‘Agreed, the HoC and the Loyal Opposition benches will not be the same without Jack Layton. He was civil and gave strong leadership to the NDP, even though his policies were/are “in opposition” to the CPC majority’s and those who voted for them.

It would be much better for Canadians to have a strong Opposition party, and one wonders if this is possible without Jack Layton’s leadership.

OK, it has to be said.

The media frenzy over Jack Layton’s death is getting ridiculous. And the big problem is, that when yout ry to elevate a mere mortal — and a
very flawed one, at that — to saintly or godlike status, Canadians who know that the corpse has no halo start to yell: “He
ain’t no saint! He scammed us every year, taking our money to live
like a king, all the while assuring us that he was our greatest
champion!”
Off with his halo!

This reaction is inevitable, however the press is using it to bludgeon us mean, unfeeling, and according to NDP strategist Ian Capstick, “disgusting,” “loathsome” cretins.

We need to honour the memory of Jack Layton, not deify him. That is to do him and us a dishonour.

He scammed us every year, taking our money to live
like a king, all the while assuring us that he was our greatest
champion!

You’re full of sh!t, and you cannot even begin to substantiate that slander.

You think that many Canadians would be lining up in Ottawa and Toronto to pay respects to a scammer? You think Harper would grant a state funeral to a flake?

Jack was not only prepared to scam those Canadians who never supported him, but worse, his own supporters whom he showed he was prepared to betray… this is lost on them, which I’m amazed by.

He campaigned against the $50 billion corporate tax cut… worse, he tied to the Libs and the CPC together… [paraphrasing], “It’s not just Mr. Harper, Mr. Dion too is for the corporate tax cut give away” and then signs a deal for a few symbolic cabinet positions that would have seen those corporate tax cuts go ahead.

That’s not campaign promise No. 157 in the pamphlet, it’s not some throw away promise… that was the CENTREPIECE of his entire platform — the biggest item and the one which his entire platform was costed on.

Make no mistake, while I would’ve been none to please had the coalition gone ahead, I would’ve been happy at least that he reverse his position… it’s how OWN SUPPORTERS that should’ve been angry and upset that he could just so flippantly throw away the centrepiece of his election platform which he ran on just weeks early.

There’s too much exploitation going on.

Prime Minister Harper offered a state funeral and rightly so, which the Layton family accepted.

Mr Layton has touched the hearts of many no doubt but he should not be canonized or beatified, he was a mere mortal like the rest of us and a political animal to the core.  His last public appearance was proof of that. He looked like a dead man talking and left a haunting image on all who witnessed it.

More BS. Show me ONE NDP vote for the tax cuts.

Not the slightest twinge of shame over publicly sh!tting on a dead man, with unsubstantiated bs?

His last public appearance was proof of that. He looked like a dead man
talking and left a haunting image on all who witnessed it.

as it should. That took courage and selflessness. He put his party and his friends’ feelings ahead ofhis own needs.

If a conservative with the same service record had done this, you’d already be down to a shortlist of parks to name after him/her, and the bat would be sandbagging the Vatican.

It’s all over on Saturday, people. Dig deep and find a tiny bit of class. Mr Taylor did.

Jack Layton is being mourned in different ways and for different reasons. Obviously, his family and his close colleagues mourn him differently than do those who only saw him interviewed on some political panels, answering reporters’ questions in a scrum, or standing to ask questions in the House. However, like Christie Blatchford, I cringe at overwrought public displays of grief. As a matter of fact, I’ve always thought some funeral rituals a little bizarre. But that’s just me.IMO, Jack Layton should be honoured for his humanity and his sunny optimism … although I still cannot fully forgive him for the attempted 2008 coalition. In any case, I’m not the one who’ll be sitting in judgment and I won’t be spared standing before the Judge.Here are a few quotes for your consideration:“Death will be a great relief. No more interviews.” Katharine HepburnWould Jack share that feeling?“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” Mark Twain Some may echo Twain’s approval.“Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as ravens claws.” Jim Morrison“Men are convinced of your arguments, your sincerity, and the seriousness of your efforts only by your death.” Albert Camus Who knew? Jim Morrison, Albert Camus, and Christie Blatchford thinking along the same line!“I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Woody AllenMe neither.And finally, I’m pretty sure Jack Layton might have liked this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pGWkjwOBw&feature=related 

Oh, for pete’s sake!

The last time I posted something here, my paragraphs were separated by two or three lines, why, I don’t know. In an effort to correct that, now my paragraphs were all jumbled together here in my first posting Double rats!! That didn’t use to happen before. What’s up?

A second try at better formatting … keeping my fingers crossed

Jack Layton is being mourned in different ways and for different reasons. Obviously, his family and his close colleagues mourn him differently than do those who only saw him interviewed on some political panels, answering reporters’ questions in a scrum, or standing to ask questions in the House.

However, like Christie Blatchford, I cringe at overwrought public displays of grief. As a matter of fact, I’ve always thought some funeral rituals a little bizarre. But that’s just me. IMO, Jack Layton should be honoured for his humanity and his sunny optimism … although I still cannot fully forgive him for the attempted 2008 coalition. In any case, I’m not the one who’ll be sitting in judgment and I in turn won’t be spared standing before the Judge.

Here are a few quotes for your consideration:
“Death will be a great relief. No more interviews.” Katharine Hepburn
Would Jack share that feeling?

“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” Mark Twain 
Some may echo Twain’s approval.

“Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as ravens claws.” Jim Morrison
“Men are convinced of your arguments, your sincerity, and the seriousness of your efforts only by your death.” Albert Camus 
Who knew? Jim Morrison, Albert Camus, and Christie Blatchford thinking along the same lines!

“I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Woody Allen
Me neither.

And finally, I’m pretty sure Jack Layton might have liked this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pGWkjwOBw&feature=related 

Oh, for pete’s sake!

The last time I posted something here, my paragraphs were separated by two or three lines, why, I don’t know. In an effort to correct that, now my paragraphs were all jumbled together here in my first posting Double rats!! That didn’t use to happen before. What’s up?

A second try at better formatting … keeping my fingers crossed

Jack Layton is being mourned in different ways and for different reasons. Obviously, his family and his close colleagues mourn him differently than do those who only saw him interviewed on some political panels, answering reporters’ questions in a scrum, or standing to ask questions in the House.

However, like Christie Blatchford, I cringe at overwrought public displays of grief. As a matter of fact, I’ve always thought some funeral rituals a little bizarre. But that’s just me. IMO, Jack Layton should be honoured for his humanity and his sunny optimism … although I still cannot fully forgive him for the attempted 2008 coalition. In any case, I’m not the one who’ll be sitting in judgment and I in turn won’t be spared standing before the Judge.

Here are a few quotes for your consideration:
“Death will be a great relief. No more interviews.” Katharine Hepburn
Would Jack share that feeling?

“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” Mark Twain 
Some may echo Twain’s approval.

“Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as ravens claws.” Jim Morrison
“Men are convinced of your arguments, your sincerity, and the seriousness of your efforts only by your death.” Albert Camus 
Who knew? Jim Morrison, Albert Camus, and Christie Blatchford thinking along the same lines!

“I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Woody Allen
Me neither.

And finally, I’m pretty sure Jack Layton might have liked this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2pGWkjwOBw&feature=related 

I guess most of the people lining up either don’t know about the over $1, 000,000 the Layton-Chows racked up last year in expenses, EXPENSES — more than any other politicians in the HoC  (and their ridings were in Toronto, for crying out loud, not BC. When asked about it, Olivia snapped, “It’s legal”) — or they just don’t care.

I never said that Jack Layton was a flake. He was very canny. He knew how to take a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars, to exactly what purpose I’m not sure, while all the time telling us he was for “the little guy” and “the hard-working Canadian family.” That describes my family who have no clue what Jack Layton ever did for us — except expect us to work hard to keep him in the lifestyle to which he’d grown accustomed on the public teat.

Gross misrepresentation and lies. There’s not one shred of evidence to indicate that their expense claims were  for anything else than legitimate purposes. There’s no truth to your accusation that they lived some lavish lifestyle; by all accounts it was more work than play. Can you prove otherwise? of course you can’t, but it doesn’t stop you from spewing this slander.

If you used the same warped yardstick to measure all MPs, most would fall far below the level of actual service to Canada and Canadians given by the Laytons.

No slander.

Olivia and Jack’s over $100,000,000 of expenses charged to the Canadian taxpayers last year is proven and documented. I’m wondering what they did expend all of that money for. What could have cost two people over $1,000,0000, when their combined salaries were close to $400,000? It beats me.

Watch your language, kenn2. Fair criticism — as much as you may dislike it — and slander are completely different things and you seem to have got them confused.

Now you tell me, specifically, what “actual service to Canada and Canadians [has been] given by the Laytons.” I’m dying to know. Don’t slough this question off, kenn2, like you do so many others.

Oh, and you might be interested in reading Robert Fulford’s column in today’s National Post: “The alternative to reality,” in which, among many other perceptive observations, he points out that “Those who are even a distant part of [the NDP] can consider themselves
compassionate human beings without necessarily doing anything much that
involves compassion.” 
I’m sorry that you feel a personal loss after Jack Layton’s death, but
please don’t translate your sorrow into the expectation that everyone else has to admire and propagate the NDP fiction — or else they’ll be accused of “slander” when they make legitimate criticisms of the
Chow-Laytons.

You missed the point, Kenn2 — deliberately as usual, I’m sure.

Truth is, Layton got cuaght making a Chretien-like GST whopper when he promised to roll back the $50 billion corporate tax cut… turning around and taking it off the table in a deal to form a gov’t…. The only difference is that Chretien actually got in power to renage on the implementation of the centrepiece of his platform while Jack never got the chance to… nonetheless he was fully prepared to and showed us all that with the simple stroke of a pen. And the entire NDP caucus with their signatures broke their word too. 

I’m wondering what they did expend all of that money for.

Stop wondering and actually find out. It’s public record; dash off an FoI request. Either you’ll find the smoking gun you seek, or you’ll find out just how off-base you are. Attack without proof is slander.

Now you tell me, specifically, what “actual service to Canada and
Canadians [has been] given by the Laytons.” I’m dying to know.

Every paper in the country is doing just that. Get your head out of your a$$ the blogosphere and read a few. Change the channel from SUN TV once in a while. Are Harper’s words and actions re Jack Layton not good enough for you?

Your unsubstantiated slander is nowhere near fair criticism. I sometimes forget what a bitter hypocritical harpy you are. Thanks for the reminders.

I’m wondering what they did expend all of that money for.

Stop wondering and actually find out. It’s public record; dash off an FoI request. Either you’ll find the smoking gun you seek, or you’ll find out just how off-base you are. Attack without proof is slander.

Now you tell me, specifically, what “actual service to Canada and
Canadians [has been] given by the Laytons.” I’m dying to know.

Every paper in the country is doing just that. Get your head out of your a$$ the blogosphere and read a few. Change the channel from SUN TV once in a while. Are Harper’s words and actions re Jack Layton not good enough for you?

Your unsubstantiated slander is nowhere near fair criticism. I sometimes forget what a bitter hypocritical harpy you are. Thanks for the reminders.

Your point is a straw man. The NDP never had the power to successfully block or roll back the corporate tax cuts.

When a troll starts getting abusive it’s time to shut down the thread, discussion is over.
Telling someone they’re “full of sh!t” isn’t conducive to  civil conversation.

No, Kenn2, not a straw man. Ironically, your reply contains the very characteristics that show one being employed.

Stay focused on the point, Kenn2. I know you have a pattern of deviating away from it… everybody knows this.

It’s one thing to have opposed those tax cuts FROM THE OPPOSITION BENCHES and to tell NDP supporters that you did your best to try and stop them from going through, it’s another thing entirely to be IN THE GOV’T that sees them go ahead.

Hypocrisy, pure and simple. No way around it.

Stop accusing me of slander.

You tell me on what they spent over $1,000,000,000 , last year. If they’re the wonderful, caring couple you say they are you defend them. That’s not my job . Nearly everything Jack Layton stood for was anathema to me. I guess you’ll accuse me of slander for saying that.

Every paper in the country is spouting maudlin he-cared-for-the-common-man schlock. Be specific, Mr. Whoever-you-are. Are you kidding about only watching SunTV? I’ve watched more CBC than I’d ever want to in the last few days — and they’ve been short on specifics and effusive with oh-wasn’t-he-the-most-wonderful-politician-Canada’s-ever-had schtick. Spare me.

“Bitter, hypocritical harpy”? I’m laughing. At this point, I’m delighted I’ve got under your very thin skin, whoever you are.

Well, Liz, I guess I deserve it, because I’m a “bitter, hypocritical harpy.”

Where’s Stephen?

He’s shut down comments for less.

Great quotes on “death” Gabby. I like Woody Allen’s.

Great quotes on “death” Gabby. I like Woody Allen’s.

Jack scared the hell out of me.  His attempt to seize power 6 weeks after a duly elected government was voted in gave insight to an ego and a contempt to the Canadian voter that was startling, and there are too many other examples of why I thought he was dangerous to go into here and now, nor is it the appropriate time.    But I had no doubt that Jack fought like hell for the things he truly believed in.   We can (and I do) say he was dangerously naive, but unquestionably he saw himself fighting for the downtrodden, and what he saw as a better Canada.   Do I think that when Preston Manning or Stephen Harper die they will get the same respect, grace and treatment? Nope, but I’ll be truly happy to be proven wrong and again perhaps that’s the difference between “us” and “them”.     I don’t like Jack’s party, but the Party was not everything about the man and vice versa.  Just “fighting for what you beleive in” is not enough to earn my  respect – so too dis Mussolini, Stalin and many others.  But truly, even if we do not repect Jacks party of even his principles, I think it unquestionable that Jack did not fight for the Dark side.     Rest well, Jack, You stood your watch at the wall.  The line holds still.

“If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

Rudyard Kipling “If”

Jack Layton – “A man”

Yeah, some people have a knack for pithy observations or comments, don’t they?

On the other hand … I just finished watching a political rally … er, I mean, a political send-off … no, that’s not right either … I watched what was supposed to be a heartfelt tribute to a man who happens to be a politician. Instead, what I saw and heard was a manifesto on behalf of a political movement which happens to have had a personable man as its leader. 

Kudos to Layton’s son and daughter and others who managed to strike the right elegiac note, but Stephen Lewis? Shame on him. And frankly, I found Reverend Hawkes little dig at the PM, asking how Laureen was after recounting how Layton always inquired after Hawkes’ husband, a bit of a triumphalist rebuke in that particular setting.

You tell me on what they spent over $1,000,000,000 , last year. If they’re the wonderful, caring couple you say they are you defend them.

If you can’t prove your accusations you’re simply spewing slander. Why are YOU afraid of the (easily available) truth, and doing your own verification, before happily parroting filth?

Every paper in the country is spouting maudlin he-cared-for-the-common-man schlock

One of two things is happening here:
1) Everybody but you is a deluded idi0t
2) You’re an idi0t.

Give it some thought.

 What’s to say?  It appears some people just can’t help themselves.  One feels like asking how dare anyone use a dead man to play politics, then again, consider the source I guess.

It was shameful and crass, best I can come up with. I’m glad it’s over, then again, I don’t think it will be, the NDP and their supporters, some from the distant past, will continue take advantage of a person they have no hope of replacing. They’ve lost the guts of the outfit.

I’m not so sure they’ve lost “the guts of the outfit.”  Everyone’s eventually replaceable. Stephen Lewis may try to beat his way to the head of the line once again. Tom Mulcair, Anne McGrath and Brian Topp had better watch out.

True, every one is “eventually” replaceable but right now I don’t see anyone capable of appealing nationally.  As for Stephen Lewis, spare us that thought.

3) The lamestream media are shills for the Leftards.

The 2009-2010 “Living off the Public Teat Sweepstakes Award” goes to:

Party Leaders: Total Expenditures

PM Stephen Harper CPC : $281,255.67
Gilles Duceppe BQ : $482,602.58
Michael Ignatieff LPC : $570,984.10
Jack Layton NDP : $628,913.68

h/t LJ at SDA @ 3:21 PM

Also, courtesy of  LJ at SDA @ 3:21 PM:

Jack Layton of the NDP (the people’s party?) with a grand expenditures
total of $628,913.68. Combined with his wife Olivia Chow’s total
expenditures of $530,304.73, this happy couple managed to scrape by at
the taxpayers’ expense to the tune of $1,159,218.41.

If you don’t know what they spent it on, or why, you got nothing. Absolutely nothing to support your bile.

Bile?

I’m a taxpayer.

I care where my money goes.

I don’t expect “a man of the people” and his wife to be the biggest spenders in the government.

If they gave it away to those in need it wasn’t theirs to give .

I already give generously to charity — and that’s my choice with my money.

Kinda belies the common man mantra of the NDP.  The expense account of the political pair is bordering on obscene by anyone’s standards.  Is there any comparison for such an amount that would be comparable ?

I care where my money goes.

… except that you don’t know where it went. You don’t know what that expensed money was spent on, or why. Yet you could easily find out. why don’t you?

But no. You only care that the blogosphere has put forward the unqualified expense number as a barely plausible attack point. Like most of your points, the truth would show how wrong you are.

PM Stephen Harper CPC : $281,255.67

Except that it’s not. It’s MUCH, MUCH higher, but as PM he gets the majority of it covered by other budgets. Lame try.

Civil left, like 2+ years ago, and you’ve helped tremendously in keeping it away.

You’re full of it too, if it’ll make you feel included.

One feels like asking how dare anyone use a dead man to play politics.

Couldn’t be simpler. Just ask the bat.

again: The NDP never had the power to successfully block or roll back the corporate tax cuts.There was never a workable opportunity for the NDP to bring that about. it was never going to happen.

What part of reality is eluding you?

“There was never a workable opportunity for the NDP to bring that about”?

How do you figure? If the NDP maintained its position on the issue, then the Libs would have had to reverse theirs otherwise there would’ve been NO possibility of a PM Dion and NO Lib-led coalition. The NDP’s support was needed and power is what the Libs ultimately wanted….  MORE IMPORTANTLY, considering that the Libs eventually reversed their position anyway and now rail against corporate tax cuts, how hard could’ve been to make them switch? 

You act as if what the Libs campaigned on in the 2008 election, vis-a-vis a major tax policy, is what their position would be maintained as even after that election, that they have a history of holding firm, that when the Libs stake out a position, boy do they stick to it…. except of course, Kenn2, that on major tax policy especially (GST), that’s proven to be otherwise. 

Saying Layton and the NDP “never had the power” to block or roll back those tax cuts is just an attempt by you to use a fig leaf as a cover to defend against fact-based, bullet-proof criticisms against the NDP on this one… showing us all that they too can be bought and sold. And what you don’t realize or perhaps don’t even care about, is that you telegraph that you will even defend the indefensible until you’re blue in the face… which is fine by me because it diminishes your credibility on everything else… what little you have left, anyways.

 Has anyone here had a chance to read Stephen Lewis’ “eulogy” to Jack Layton? 

If the NDP maintained its position on the issue, then the Libs would
have had to reverse theirs otherwise there would’ve been NO possibility
of a PM Dion and NO Lib-led coalition.

wow. I’m sorry I didn’t realize i’m in the presence of not only a masterful political strategist but also a Liberal insider .

Look, your argument is a fabrication based on a frail hypothetical. You have no way of knowing what was on the table, and what the long game was. Try to cook up something more plausible.

I heard it! I can’t believe I watched the whole funeral from beginning to end.

Stephen Lewis delivered exactly the eulogy he was expected to: high on saccharine praise, short on reality (see Robert Fulford’s article “The alternative to reality”:

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/alternative+reality/5315860/story.html).

The whole affair was like no funeral I’ve ever seen — memorial service, I guess. It was a cross between a pep rally and a pop/rock concert. The “audience” (definitely not a congregation) even clapped after a soloist sang O Canada. Everyone on stage was a celebrity, with shout outs and standing ovations throughout. ‘Only thing missing was the light show.

‘Passing strange: The “Christian” minister, the Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes announced at the beginning of the show that he was wearing his academic gown (red, but faded to an almost becoming shade of orange), not his religious vestments out of deference to, and so as not to offend, other traditions. This mea culpa had the effect of splashing cold water all over Christians — and, I might add, showing dishonour to the God we worship: Christianity, despite the “equality” spouted by the NDP and its followers, may be offensive to others, so best to hide it, to not let it see the light of day. Why didn’t Brent Hawkes just lay down and ask everyone to walk all over him? ‘Such a considerate fellow; such a lameduck Christian minister. ‘No mention of Jesus at all.

The sanity in the insanity were Michael and Sarah Layton’s reminiscences, which were sincere, moving, and funny. Not only did they share the good things about their dad, they shared some of his endearing foibles, as well. They did him proud.

 Fulford has pegged it right. The alternative to reality is the NDP.

Stephen Lewis…..ah, never mind.

I have no way of knowing what was on the table? I know what was taken off the table — the centrepiece of the NDP platform, which set them apart from the other two main parties — and that’s what’s important here.

CTV.ca News Staff
Scrapping tax cuts still key to budget support: Layton
Date: Sun. Feb. 20 2011 7:16 PM 
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110220/layton-budget-meeting-with-harper-110220/

Of his meeting with Harper, Layton says, “He knows very well that our position on corporate tax cuts is clear.”

Layton holds firm.

Heh.

If Layton and the NDP was consistent on the issue then perhaps, Kenn2, a Dec 2008 headline would’ve read…

CTV.ca News Staff
Scrapping tax cuts key to coalition support: Layton

“Of his meeting with Dion, Layton said, ‘He knows very well that our position on corporate tax cuts is clear.’”

Layton holds firm.

But that never happened, did it Kenn2? I know, that’s my “opinion”. The coalition never came to be so it’s some sort of frail hypothetical.

In his meeting with PMSH, no offer of cabinet posts for Layton and the NDP, just more time spent in the opposition benches… In that instance, easy decision for the politically-ambitious Layton to have stuck to his “principles”.

Layton open to NDP coalition with Liberals
Updated Mon. Sep. 22 2008 11:11 AM ET
CTV.ca News

“Later Monday, during a campaign stop in Hamilton, Ont., Layton said the only real priority of the Harper government was a $50 billion corporate tax cut. He promised not to implement Tory tax cuts if elected.”

http://www.canada.com/Duceppe+Dion+Layton+form+coalition/1017065/story.html
Canada.com
December 2, 2008
Duceppe, Dion, Layton form coalition

“[as part of the deal to gain Layton and the NDP's support] Dion said the corporate tax cut program announced by the Conservatives in Budget 2008 would proceed,” would not be canceled, would not be rolled back, as the NDP had always demanded.

Heh.

While Mr. Layton was true to his convictions and deserves to be recognized for his leadership of the NDP and as the leader of the opposition, it is also true that the socialist policies advocated by the NDP, hence Mr. Layton, would have bankrupt Canada.
 
We cannot ignore that a policy based on tax and spend, large government and huge entitlements leads to what we are seeing happening in Europe right now: The bankruptcies of entire countries (Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal and many more to follow.).
 
Socialism is not the right path to follow. If it were the USSR would not have collapsed and Europe would be the most prosperous continent on the planet…. We know it is not so!
 
The Conservatives under the leadership of Mr. Harper have prevented the economic catastrophes that we have witnessed in the USA under the Obama administration who chose to follow the European model.
 
The reality is that a collapse of the US economy will ultimately affect us in Canada. I can already hear Bob Ray blaming Mr. Harper for what is inevitably coming to us, when his ideological partner down south, hence President Obama policies are responsible for the precarious situation facing us and probably leading to a double dip recession.
 
I do not share Mr. Layton political and philosophical views but I do respect the man. R.I.P. Jack, you are an inspiration to all Canadians.

I appreciate the efforts you’re putting forth. most here don’t.

But
“[as part of the deal to gain Layton and the NDP's support] Dion
said the corporate tax cut program announced by the Conservatives in
Budget 2008 would proceed,” would not be canceled, would not be rolled
back, as the NDP had always demanded.

your add – “[as part of the deal to gain Layton and the NDP's support]]” is not a correct inference.  It’s flawed logic, theoretically and in fact. Just because there was an agreement to form a coalition does not automatically confirm that Layton now approved of the corporate tax cuts, or agreed with them.

You continue to avoid the reality of the NDPs situation – regardless of who they supported, they never had the leverage with either the Liberals or the CPC to actually stop  the corporate tax cuts. Tell us what Layton could have done differently that would have blocked those tax cuts.

The hoops you’re trying to jump through to make your point must certainly by now clue you into just how weak a fabrication it is…

Well, the funeral/political rally is over, this thread is dead, there’s no bait for the troll…..Anything new?