Jack Layton (1950-2011)
Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, died after a months-long battle with cancer in the early morning hours of August 22, 2011. In his final days – less than 48 hours before he died, Jack Layton wrote two-page of letter to his party and all Canadians in which he looked toward the future, refusing to let his vision of Canada die.
August 20, 2011
Toronto, Ontario
Dear Friends,
Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.
Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.
I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.
A few additional thoughts:
To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer …more
To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.
And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world …more
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聯邦新民主黨黨魁林頓(Jack Layton) 的最後一封信：
親愛的朋友們：
最近數周收到數以萬計加拿大人來函慰問﹐我要感謝你們每一位給我體貼﹑激勵和美好的短柬﹐心意卡和禮物。你們的鼓舞和愛心燃亮我的家﹐振奮我的意志。
很不幸﹐藥石對我無靈﹐所以寫下這封信給我愛侶奧莉維婭(Olivia)﹐好跟你們分享。
我建議魁省國會議員蒂梅爾(Nycole Turmel)繼續出任臨時黨魁﹐直至選出固定接任人為止。
我建議盡可能在新年舉行黨魁選舉﹐讓新黨魁有充裕時間重新鞏固團隊﹑更新政黨和政策﹐朝下屆大選進發。
還有一些想法：
給仍在抗癌途上的加拿大人：千萬別因為我未能如願戰勝癌病而氣餒。你們絕不要灰心喪志。今時今日的癌症療法已有極大進步﹐足以令你們樂觀面對並聚焦未來。我還有另一個忠告﹐在抗癌途上跟摯愛珍視每一分鐘﹐就像我在今個夏天一樣。
給我黨黨員:
過去8年我們合力取得美好成績。能夠領導新民主黨是我莫大的榮幸。由衷感謝你們對我的信任﹑支持以及為堅持目標不入眠不休﹐絕無計較﹐全情付出。將會有人試圖游說你們放棄目標﹐可是該目標較任何一位領袖都要偉大﹐請以加倍的精力和決心去工作來回應對方。謹記許多足以令我們引以為傲的往績﹐社會公義﹑全國醫保﹑政府退休金以及確保沒有人會被遺忘。讓我們繼續邁步向前﹐在面前這4年裡全力以赴﹐做好每件事﹐俾能領導下屆政府﹐服務我們熱愛的加拿大。
給我的國會黨團成員:
我有幸能夠跟你們每一位合作做事。黨團會議向來是我每周最重要的時刻。一直以來我的重任就是向你們諸多要求﹐現在我會再這樣做。加拿大人在未來多個月裡會密切注視你們。同工們﹐我知道你們會繼續展示像最近一次大選中贏得數百萬加拿大人信任的團隊精神的工作表現﹐讓數以萬計黨員能夠以你們為傲。
給魁省朋友們:
你們在5月2日的決定極具歷史意義。你們決定用較佳方式去取代加拿大的聯邦保守黨政府﹐跟全國具有進步思想的加拿大人成為合作夥伴。你們當日的決定正確﹐今日仍然無誤﹐當我們在下屆大選成功時﹐該項決定仍是正確無誤。你們選出一隊傑出的新民主黨黨員晉身國會﹐在未來歲月裡﹐他們將會有優秀表現﹐為這個國家所有人帶來更美好日子。
給年青一代的加拿大人:
我一生致力將事情做得更好。我的從政生涯可以用希望和樂觀來詮釋﹐我對加拿大仍然是樂觀和滿有企盼。年輕人一直在激勵和鼓舞著我。我曾經在你們中間細聽你們的夢想﹑你們的焦慮以致你們力求改變的種種看法。你們愈來愈願意投身政界﹐因為你們想將事情做得更好。你們當中不少人信任新民主黨。我的政治生涯快要終結﹐我想讓你們知道﹐你們有力量去改變這個國家和這個世界。你們面前有數不清的巨大挑戰﹐由勢不可擋的氣候變化到一個不公平的經濟體﹐以致有必要改變才能建立一個更加包容和具有雅量的加拿大。我相信你們﹐你們的活力幹勁﹐你們心中的願景以致熱愛公義﹐正是這個國家今時今日最須要的。你們必須成為我們的經濟﹐我們的政治生活以及我們現在與未來計劃的核心所在。
最後﹐給全體加拿大人:
加拿大是一個偉大的國家﹐是全球其中一個希望所在。我們可以做得更好──一個更重視平等﹐公正和機會的國家。我們可以建設繁榮的經濟以及能更公平分享利益的社會。我們能夠照顧長者﹐為子女提供較佳前途。能夠盡本份做好環保工作﹐恢復在國際社會原先享有的美譽﹐能夠做到上述事情﹐因為我們最終在全國政治層面擁有一個可以提供真正選擇的政黨體系：你們的一票足以發揮影響力﹐致力改變的話﹐最終真能將情況改變過來。在未來的年月裡﹐新民主黨將會給你們提供一個難以抗拒的另類選擇。新民主黨同寅是令人敬佩和願意承擔的團隊。請細心聆聽他們﹔考慮另類選擇﹔當大家通力合作﹐就能建立一個更美好﹑更公正和更平等的社會。別讓他們告訴你﹐這並非不可能的事。
朋友們﹐愛心比怒恨強﹐希望比恐懼好﹐樂觀比絕望佳﹐就讓我們更有愛心﹑滿有盼望和樂觀。我們將會改變這個世界。
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林頓是逾90年來加國政壇上第一位在任內逝世的反對黨領袖。總理哈珀（Stephen Harper）辦公室本週一宣佈，將於本週六（27日）在多倫多湯姆森音樂廳（Roy Thomson Hall）為林頓舉行國葬。按照加拿大傳統，前任或者現任總督、前任或者現任總理、現任內閣成員，才能自動獲得國葬。作為正式反對黨領袖，林頓的葬禮是經總理考量後破格獲國葬殊榮。總理辦公室發言人指出，加國民眾可籍此機會向林頓為公眾服務的一生致以敬意，並表達他們誠摯的哀悼。
林頓與鄒至蕙的愛情故事被很多人津津樂道，在林頓周一病逝之後，這段23年的浪漫感情再次被人廣泛傳傳頌。
Speak Softly Love 