| MCC Pays Tribute to Canadian NDP Leader Jack Layton  Canada mourned the loss of a great leader this past weekend...and celebrated his life in unique ways, mostly thanks to Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes and MCC Toronto. Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party, lost his second battle with cancer last week. Rev. Hawkes, a longtime friend, presided over the state funeral; he was dressed in red academic robes as a sign of respect to those of different religious traditions. "People saw the public Jack, but what they didn't realize was how deeply spiritual he was," he said. Jack once told him that he lived every day of his life as an act of worship.  | | Olivia Chow, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, Jack Layton Photo courtesy of Brian Tao, Luxography http://luxography.ca/ |
Toronto singer Lorraine Segato sang Rise Up, the 1983 hit she had with The Parachute Club, with the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. The crowds, both inside and outside the Roy Thomson Hall, were clapping and dancing along. Layton's unwavering determination to stand up for the disadvantaged earned him the respect of fellow politicians and citizens of all political stripes. Layton, and his wife Olivia Chow, championed several causes for a more inclusive and generous Canada, including gay and lesbian rights, HIV/AIDS funding, housing the homeless, fighting violence against women, gender equality, and many environmental causes. "You can wait forever for perfect conditions, or you can make the best of what you've got now," Mike Layton said, recalling his father's words. "He made the most of each moment." May we focus on such a perspective! And from Jack Layton's final letter to Canadians: 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. 
To watch an interview with Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes the day before the funeral, click here. (You will need to scroll about halfway down the page for this video clip.) Here is a sampling of articles to give you more information about Jack Layton and Rev. Hawkes: (MCC does not endorse any political party or necessarily agree with the opinions stated in these articles.) |
