Farewell, Jack

TORONTO, Ont. – They cheered, cried and clapped, but most of all they stood together as one, as thousands of Canadians gathered to say a final farewell to Jack Layton, one of Canada’s most beloved political leaders.

About 1,700 invited guests and 600 members of the public, some who waited in line overnight to get tickets, were inside Roy Thomson Hall for the ceremony.

Several large video screens were set up outside at David Pecaut Square where the overflow crowd watched the ceremony live.

The ceremony, which lasted just under two hours, featured an uplifting combination of music, scripture and eulogies.

Perhaps most profound was the eulogy by Layton’s friend and mentor Stephen Lewis, who drew a standing ovation when he characterized Layton’s final letter to Canadians as “a manifesto of democracy.”

Other speakers included the reverend Brent Hawkes, a friend of Layton’s who was asked to arrange and execute the funeral.

“When the chalk is washed away, when our crying finally stops, the legacy of Jack Layton will not be in how much power you have, it will be in how all of us exercise our personal power for a better world,” Hawkes said.

Layton’s children Sarah and Michael also spoke, and Layton was blessed with a ceremonial feather from the Aboriginal community.

A great musician in his life, it was only fitting that there were several touching musical performances at Layton’s funeral.

Steven Page, formerly of the Barenaked Ladies, sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallellujah, while the funeral ended with a rendition of the Parachute Club’s Rise Up.

The crowd stood and clapped during the rendition, honouring and remembering the “always smiling” life and legacy of Layton.

After the funeral, Layton’s ashes will be spread in three different locations.

They will be spread in Quebec where he was born, on the Toronto Island where he and Olivia Chow were married in 1988 and in St. James Cemetery.

A tree will also be planted in his honour on the Island.

• Submit your condolences
• Procession, viewing, funeral details
• John Stall’s memories of Layton
• Live chat transcript: Layton’s impact on Toronto
• Layton’s letter to Canadians

Although the official state funeral was Saturday, the outpouring of support for Layton began immediately after this death.

Layton died Monday, August 22 at the age of 61, just weeks after revealing he had been diagnosed with an unspecified cancer.

Hundreds of people lined up outside Toronto City Hall on Friday to view his flag-draped casket.

Many thousands said their farewells to Layton earlier during the week as he lay in state on Parliament Hill.

The motorcade carrying Layton’s body arrived at Nathan Phillips Square Thursday night, to the applause of dozens of people waiting to pay their respects to Layton.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath joined Layton’s family as they followed the casket into the rotunda.

The funeral cortege travelled along the “Highway of Heroes” as the casket made its way from Ottawa to Toronto.

A 15-gun salute sounded as the casket was carried out of the Parliament buildings by eight Mounties in red coats on Thursday.

The casket carrying Layton’s body was carried out of Centre Block at Parliament Hill, just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Video: Jack Layton leaves Parliament Hill with the song Imagine (Video by: Cormac MacSweeney/1310News)

Video: The hearse leaves Parliament Hill to a round of applause from the thousands of supporters on hand. (Video by: Cormac MacSweeney/1310News)

The hearse then headed on the Alexandra Bridge and turned left on Laurier Street, in Gatineau, Que. It proceeded to the Canadian Museum of Civilization where it made a short stop before slowly passing by Gatineau City Hall. Sixty-one doves were released as the hearse drove by the Museum — one for every year of Layton’s life.

Video: Sixty-one doves released at the Museum of Civilization for Jack Layton (Video by: Cormac MacSweeney/1310News)

After departing Quebec, the motorcade made its way back to Toronto, along Highway 416 and then along Highway 401. The hearse arrived at Toronto City Hall at around 9:45 p.m.

The casket was brought into the City Hall rotunda by pallbearers from the Toronto Police Service. A vigil guard was mounted by Toronto police.

Earlier on Wednesday, the hearse carrying his casket, which was draped in a Canadian flag, left Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home in Toronto just after 4 a.m.

Upon arrival in Ottawa, a lone bagpiper led the procession as the casket was placed in the middle of the room. A grieving Olivia Chow accompanied her husband’s coffin.

Family, dignitaries, politicians and the public paid final respects to the late NDP leader. Layton’s flag-draped coffin was carried up a red carpet by eight mounties, followed by Chow, his children, Mike and Sarah, and granddaughter Beatrice.

Chow shed tears as she placed a single hand on top.

One by one, cabinet ministers, current and former MPs, former prime ministers and good friends walked to the casket.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, the hearse carrying Layton’s casket will leave City Hall and head to Roy Thomson Hall. The procession of Toronto police on horseback will head west on Queen Street West to University Avenue, south to King Street West, west on King, south on King to Simcoe and arrive at Roy Thomson Hall.

Citytv will provide full coverage of the funeral starting at 1 p.m.

There will only be 800 seats inside for the public. Members of the public wishing to attend the funeral are invited to line up on King Street West outside Roy Thomson Hall. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, bracelets will be handed out to approximately the first 600 people in line. Bracelet holders can then return to the same lineup area on King Street West by noon, at which time they will receive an assigned seat ticket and will be able to proceed inside the hall.

Four video screens will be set up outside in David Pecaut Square to the west of Roy Thomson Hall for the overflow crowds.

The service is expected to last about one hour. Former leader of the NDP, Ed Broadbent, has been announced as one of the pallbearers. Rev. Brent Hawkes with the Metropolitan Church will be presiding.

After the funeral, Layton’s family will spend an hour at the reception and then drive to a private interment at an unknown location in Toronto. Layton will be cremated.

The first interment will be for ceremony purposes. There will be a second interment at a later date for just the immediate family.

The NDP said, in classic Layton style, there will be unique elements to his funeral, the details of which will be released at a later date.

In honour of Layton, the CN Tower will be lit in orange on Saturday from sunrise to sundown.

Some NDP MPs are going through extraordinary measures to get to Parliament Hill. Chris Charlton is coming in from Germany and Nikki Ashton is cutting her honeymoon short to fly in from Greece.

A state funeral is traditionally offered only to current and former governors general, current and former prime ministers and current members of cabinet; however, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the PM offered Layton’s wife MP Olivia Chow the option of the state funeral and she accepted.

On Monday evening, Harper confirmed the state funeral through Twitter and added that “Canadians will have an opportunity to salute Jack Layton’s contribution to public life.”

The Layton family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the recently announced Broadbent Institute, a left-leaning think-tank. Donations can be made online by clicking here.

Layton died Monday morning at the age of 61, following the charismatic politician’s second bout with cancer.

A statement from Layton’s family issued this morning indicates the well-liked political leader passed away peacefully at his home.

“We deeply regret to inform you that The Honourable Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, passed away at 4:45 am today, Monday August 22. He passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and loved ones. Details of Mr. Layton’s funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.”

Layton’s death comes just shy of a month after he made a public appearance to announce he was once again battling cancer. During the Toronto press conference, the usually energetic leader looked gaunt and sick.

Speaking to the crowd Layton said although he had beaten his prostate cancer, he had been diagnosed with a second type of cancer and on the advice of his doctors, he was going to focus on treatment and recovery.

“I’m going to fight this cancer now, so that I can be back to fight for families when parliament resumes,” Layton said.

The second bout with cancer came only shortly after Layton managed to win the position of leader of the Official Opposition in the latest election.

Condolences followed Layton’s death almost immediately, with everyone from the prime minister to several former mayors of Toronto chiming in on the late politicians life.

Former mayor Mel Lastman, who often went toe-to-toe with Layton on political issues, summed up his feelings toward Layton’s legacy.

“Yes, (we went toe-to-toe), but only on the issues, never personally,” Lastman said. “I liked Jack, I respected Jack, and you can’t help but respect a guy like that.”

His sentiments were repeated by other leaders, most of who echoed their respect and admiration for the late politician. A complete summary of the reaction can be found here.

A collection of flowers, notes, oranges and other items were placed outside Jack Layton’s constituency office on Broadview Avenue in Toronto.

June told 680News she was a student in Jack’s office during his city council years.

“He’s just one of the kindest people I have ever know. I am just very grieved to hear that he’s gone. There will never be anybody else quite like him ever. Never.” June said.

Hugh also worked with Jack while he was in city council and told 1310News he always fought for the people he represented.

“He was our original civic warrior here in Toronto. Stood for social justice, communities, families. We’re going to be really sorry to miss him. I think the nation is going to be sorry to miss him.” Hugh said.

His office was not the only place people gathered to remember the charismatic leader. Hundreds headed to Nathan Phillips Square for an impromptu memorial.

Copies of Layton’s final letter to Canadians were circulated among the crowd and read out loud.

Several people copied quotes from his letter on the concrete walls in chalk while others broke out into “O Canada.” Some quietly sobbed while others went inside City Hall to sign the condolence book set up in the rotunda.

Books of condolence are available for the public to sign at City Hall and East York Civic Centre from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. There’s also one in Vaughan, located at City Hall’s main atrium at 2141 Major Mackenzie Drive. It’s open from Wednesday to Friday (Aug. 26), 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Mourners can also sign condolence books at NDP MP constituency offices prior to the funeral.

Flags at City Hall, Metro Hall and Toronto civic centres were lowered to half-mast, and will remain lowered until the end of the day of his funeral.

A candlelight vigil was held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday night.

Born in Montreal, Que., in the summer of 1950, Layton was a charismatic leader who was well liked across the country. His father was a politician by trade, serving as a Conservative cabinet minister in the Brian Mulroney government.

Layton was first elected to Toronto City Council in 1981, where he spent 20 years as  a thorn in the left side of Conservative mayors. He ran for mayor of Toronto twice, and although he lost both times, he managed to become the leader of the NDP in 2003.

In the years that followed Layton would bring the NDP from something of a third party to mainstream success, winning the title of Official Opposition in the most recent election.

During his storied career Layton also taught at Ryerson University and served as chair of several committees in the city, including a stint as the chair of the Toronto Board of Health.

Layton’s first marriage to high-school sweetheart Sally Halford produced two children but ended in 1981. Layton would eventually marry Olivia Chow, another active politician in Toronto.

The two become known as a power couple across the city, fighting for social action and the rights of all Canadians. It was his brash personality and unwillingness to back down that earned Layton the reputation as a passionate and tough politician.

That reputation as a fighter would stay with Layton until, and even after, his death.