OTTAWA – Jack Layton will be honoured with a rare state funeral.
It is traditionally offered only to current and former governors general, current and former prime ministers and current members of cabinet.
But a spokesman for Stephen Harper says the prime minister exercised his discretion and offered Layton’s wife, Olivia Chow, a state funeral which she accepted.
The funeral service is expected to be held Saturday at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall around 2:00 PM ET. The service will be open to the public.
Layton’s body will lie in state in the foyer outside the House of Commons where the NDP leader used to joust daily with reporters. The lying-in-state will be open to the public Wednesday from 12:30 to 8 PM ET, and Thursday from 9 AM to 1:30 PM ET.
Global Television will also televise Saturday’s ceremony in a special live broadcast, beginning at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT. It will also be streamed to GlobalNews.ca.
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Interim NDP leader Nycole Turmel is thanking Canadians from coast to coast for their wishes and love for Mr. Layton.
She says it is helping members of the party carry on his work and the fight to make the country a better place.
Turmel acknowledges Layton’s shoes are really big to fill.
But she says the party has an obligation to continue his work and promises MPs will be ready to face that challenge when Parliament resumes next month.
And Turmel says the party will respect Layton’s wish that it hold a leadership convention as early in the new year as possible.
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But she says the planning will have to wait because this week is for grieving.
The 61-year-old leader of the federal New Democratic Party passed away early Monday surrounded by family and loved ones.
Within moments of the family’s statement, Canadians began leaving flowers and notes outside Layton’s Toronto home.
The flag was lowered on Parliament Hill and other buildings across the country.
Layton’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the recently announced Broadbent Institute, a left-leaning think-tank.
Canadians are also invited to leave messages or share stories about how Mr. Layton touched their lives.
For those that cannot attend the funeral service in person, they can go online to www.ndp.ca and click on Express your Condolences to leave a message about Jack Layton.
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