Layton state funeral to be a celebration of life

TORONTO, Ont. – Tomorrow the state funeral will be held for Jack Layton.

2500 people will be in Roy Thomson Hall for the final goodbye to the late NDP Leader.

600 of those seats will be open for the public.

At 1 p.m. police on horseback will escort the hearse in a procession from Toronto City Hall to Roy Thomson Hall.

The service will be a celebration of life.

Layton’s Chief of Staff Anne McGrath told 680News the plan is to tell jack’s story.

“The kind of man that he was. He had a unique way of being able to reach out and touch people and so we wanted to reflect that,” said McGrath.

During the service a video tribute will play, and since Jack was a musician, there will be many performances.

Lorraine Segato, of The Parachute Club, will sing “Rise Up” and Stephen Page, formerly of Barenaked Ladies, will sing Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah.”

The eulogy will be delivered by Stephen Lewis, former leader of the Ontario NDP. Layton’s wife Olivia Chow is expected to give a speech.

Some of the dignitaries expected to attend include Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former prime minister Jean Chretien and former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent.

Broadbent will be a pall bearer along with the following people:

• Alexa McDonough, O.C., Former Leader of the federal New Democratic Party and former Member of Parliament

• Gary Doer, O.M., Ambassador of Canada to the USA, former Premier of Manitoba

• The Honourable Roy Romanow, P.C., O.C., Q.C., S.O.M., M.L.A., Former Premier of Saskatchewan

• Ms. Marilyn Churley, Former Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto-Danforth and Cabinet Minister

• Mr. Bob Gallagher, Former Chief of Staff to the Honourable Jack Layton

• Professor Tim Flannery, Internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer, conservationist and activist

• Mr. Ken Neumann, National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers

• Dr. Winnie Ng, CAW-Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy at Ryerson University in Toronto

• The Honourable Audrey McLaughlin, P.C., O.C., Former Leader of the federal New Democratic Party and former Member of Parliament

• The Honourable Greg Selinger, M.L.A., Premier of Manitoba

• The Honourable Darrell Dexter, M.L.A., Premier of Nova Scotia

• Ms. Joy McPhail, Former Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and Cabinet Minister

• Professor Charles Taylor, C.C., G.O.Q., FRSC, Professor Emeritus at McGill University and acclaimed Canadian philosopher

• Mr. Brad Lavigne, Principal Secretary to the Leader of the Official Opposition

• Mr. Jamey Heath, Former Research and Communications Director of the New Democratic Party