Author: Stephen Taylor

Jack Layton, 1950-2011

This morning I learned the terrible news of Jack Layton’s passing as the news spread instantly via Twitter. His final press conference in Ottawa this July left one feeling hopeful yet very anxious about the prospects of his return. Looking frail, weakened by a second bout of the disease, having fractured his hip during the campaign, the stomach was knotted.

And this morning, it sank. Cancer is a terrible disease, and all of us will be affected by it one day — either ourselves or with someone we love. In a pan-partisan sentiment today and in the future, Canadians are united to better understand and perhaps one day cure the many variations of this disease.

To most anyone that watches Ottawa, what goes in this city appears as bloodsport. Yet in truth it is quite a close-knit community. We are defined by our disagreements yet though we share a common desire — like most Canadians that democratically invest in this place — to make this country a better place. Though we disagree on the path to get there, we have a mutual respect and odd commonality that is an overzealous interest in the political.

Jack Layton and my friends in the NDP stand for many different ideas than I do. But I respect them because they stand for ideas and what they truly believe to be in Canada’s best interest. New Democrats are also fun to have a drink with because a discussion without disagreement is often too sober.

I feel modestly blessed to live in a country where the reaction to the passing of a political opponent is profound collective sadness.

Jack Layton was a decent man who fought passionately for his ideas. We will miss him.

God bless, rest well.

We demand transparency!

News broke yesterday about the CBC’s Radio Canada hiring former separatist leader Gilles Duceppe to host a show on the french-language network. Canadians are outraged and the story led the front pages of a number of Sun newspapers this morning.

When Mr. Duceppe was working to split up Canada from the House of Commons for twenty years in Ottawa he was collecting a paycheque from the Canadian taxpayer. Now that he’s a “retired” politician, he collects $141,000 per year in his gold-plated pension — also paid by the taxpayer.

If this isn’t outrageous enough, Duceppe has landed a gig at the state broadcaster. For a man working for independence for so many years, he’s always the first in line for a cheque from the Government of Canada.

This shows that the CBC isn’t even holding true to its mandate of being a supposed unifying cultural force for all Canadians. But leave it to the twisted logic of our state-run broadcaster to seek unity through division. And to think that’s what the cultural elites said what Sun News would do!

The final outrage? CBC won’t disclose what they’re we’re paying Duceppe as a state employee.

We here at the National Citizens Coalition are calling upon Heritage Minister James Moore to extend federal accountability to all Crown Corporations including the CBC. The Ontario Government has a “sunshine” law compels the disclosure of salaries of all taxpayer funded positions over $100,000. We’re calling for the same sort of law to be instated federally.

The CBC collects $1.1 Billion worth of taxpayer subsidy every year. How much of this are we using to further subsidize one of Quebec’s most visible separatist leaders?

Will you stand with us at the NCC and demand transparency? Click the recommend button if you want the CBC to account for the taxpayer dollars it’s wasting on separatism.

UPDATE: Gilles Duceppe has resigned!