Updated: 9/24/11
About Jack Layton:
NDP Leader Jack Layton was fluently bilingual, glib, sometimes flashy, full of energy and always media-friendly. From a political family, Layton was a left-wing Toronto city councillor for 17 years and spent a year as head of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. He became leader of the federal New Democratic Party in 2003. In his first election as leader the NDP won 20 seats and in the 2008 election the NDP was up to 37 seats.
Going into the 2011 federal election there was concern over Layton's health. He had been dealing with prostate cancer for a year, and had surgery on his hip a few weeks before the campaign.
Things changed late in the 2011 federal election when a surge in polls in Quebec held and the NDP won 103 seats, 59 of them in Quebec. The NDP became the Official Opposition for the first time in history.
In July 2011, Jack Layton faced a bigger challenge. He announced that he had been diagnosed with a new form of cancer, and would step down as NDP Leader temporarily to get treatment. He hoped to be back on the job when the House resumed in September and recommended that Nycole Turmel fill in for him.
Jack Layton died on Monday, August 22 at his home in Toronto. Before he died, he wrote a letter to all Canadians.
Federal NDP Leader:
2003 to 2011
Birth and Death:
- Born July 18, 1950 in Montreal, Quebec. Raised in Hudson, Quebec.
- Died August 22, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario.
Education:
- BA - McGill University
- MA, Ph.D. - York University
Profession:
- Professor - Ryerson Polytechnic University
- Founder - Green Catalyst Group Inc.
Political Party:
Riding:
Toronto-Danforth
Political Career of Jack Layton:
- Jack Layton was a City of Toronto councillor from 1982 to 1991.
- He was a Metro Toronto councillor from 1984 to 1988.
- Jack Layton was Deputy Mayor of the City of Toronto in 1990.
- From 1994 to 1997, Jack Layton again served as a Metro Toronto councillor.
- He was a City of Toronto councillor from 1997 to 2003.
- In 2001, Jack Layton became President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
- In 2003, Jack Layton was elected federal NDP leader.
- Jack Layton was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2004 general election.
