Thursday, August 22, 2019
~ West Shore Voice News
It was eight years ago that Jack Layton led the ‘orange wave’ of NDP success in the May 2011 federal election. Only three-and-a-half months later he was gone, passing away on August 22 from cancer at age 61.
Today Layton’s widow Olivia Chow told media that she had just returned from a 15-day trip in the Yukon wilderness, similar to one she took with her husband 10 years ago when they apparently talked about taking action against climate change.
“It’s been eight years since Jack passed away and like so many New Democrats across Canada today, I’m taking time to reflect on his legacy and profound contributions to our movement,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in a message to NDP supporters today.
“Jack was committed to social justice and bringing people together to create meaningful, lasting change,” wrote Singh. “His years as a community organizer and city councillor reaffirmed his belief that passionate local action can make national change – and that every Canadian has the power to make a difference in this world.”
The NDP statement said that in Jack’s years as leader he carried forward the movement with grace, humility, and a great sense of humour.
“While taking on Liberal and Conservative giants, Jack fought to protect workers’ rights, eliminate poverty, end violence against women, and preserve our beautiful environment,” said today’s NDP leadership.
The message included a call to NDP supporters to continuing “fighting for greater equality, justice, and opportunities for everyone in this country” while bringing “Jack’s vision for our future today … into everything we do in our work together this election”.
Years of quiet preparation by the NDP across the country led to the success in 2011, winning 102 seats and achieving Official Opposition status while the Conservatives under then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper still held a majority with 167 seats. The Liberals won 34 seats in 2011, while the Bloc Quebecois held 4 and the Greens had 1.
The next election coming up October 21, 2019 sees the NDP with a relatively new leader (Singh took on the leadership in October 2017), many of its long-time MPs retired or not running again, and the party itself seeking to rebrand itself in a bit of a hurry with a series of statements on issues like climate change, refugees, and jobs.
As well, the NDP face strong strategic voting competition from the Greens in some areas of the country — left-leaning votes could go NDP or Green this time. If that siphons votes from the NDP and any left-leaning voters who chose the Liberals in 2015, the Conservatives could gain in some ridings where the Liberals won in 2015.
On Vancouver Island, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has aggressively stated that her party could win all seven seats on the island, including Victoria where long-time NDP MP Murray Rankin has retired but in July took on a position with the federal government as the inaugural chair of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, a new watchdog for overseeing national-security activities.
The writ for the upcoming election is apparently expected to be dropped either on the Labour Day weekend, or by mid-September. The Canada Elections Act specifies that the election period must last a minimum of 36 days and a maximum of 50 days.