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Ottawa bids final farewell to Jack Layton

Ottawa bids final farewell to Jack Layton - image

OTTAWA – NDP leader Jack Layton left Ottawa for the final time on Thursday, sent off by a crowd of mourning Canadians and a contingent of his NDP caucus.

Led by a lone piper, Layton’s flag-draped coffin was carried down the red carpet on Parliament Hill by RCMP pallbearers as his wife and political ally, Olivia Chow, followed behind.

A 15-gun salute reverberated through Ottawa’s downtown just before the coffin emerged from Centre Block’s heavy doors.

Stopping on the steps, Chow along with other family members watched the RCMP ready the coffin for the hearse as “O Canada” rang out from Ottawa’s iconic Peace Tower.

The hundreds of people huddled on the sidewalks in front of Centre Block applauded as Layton’s coffin left the building and sang the national anthem.

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But all was silent as the doors of the hearse closed and the bells tolled the tune of “Imagine” by The Beatles.

Chow stood solemnly, a step ahead of Layton’s children Sarah and Michael, their partners and granddaughter Beatrice.

Other close friends and family members, including Layton’s first wife and Chow’s mother stood behind them.

Flanking the eastern side of the steps, members of the NDP caucus including interim leader Nycole Turmel stood at attention, many sobbing as they watched Layton leave Parliament Hill.

A third and final carillon piece called the “Dominion March” and arranged by Layton’s grandfather, heralded his final departure from Parliament Hill.

The piece has special significance for the family and they stayed standing outside to hear it play, before being ushered into a waiting line of limousines.

The crowds erupted into applause again as the hearse pulled away from Parliament Hill and headed across the river. After it left, NDP MPs mingled with the crowds to thank them for the outpouring of support.

“It’s a monumental, epic story in our history and I need to be here,” said Lisa Corkery, who came to bid adieu to Layton. “The chance he had to turn the climate of the country around and the fact that he was shot down in the height of his power.”

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Corkery said the thousands of Canadians that came out to pay respects to Layton across the country shows how powerful his message was and his vision can still be.

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“This doesn’t have to turn into a what-could-have-been-but-never-was story,” she said.

The procession crossed into Quebec, as a final way to say goodbye and thank you to the province where Layton was born and that catapulted the NDP into the ranks of the Official Opposition in May.

As the hearse passed the waiting crowds in Quebec, doves were released.

The procession then turned west and headed home to Toronto, where Layton lived and once served as a city councilor.

Layton’s return to Toronto closes two days of mourning on Parliament Hill that attracted thousands of Canadians to respects to Layton who was lying-in-state.

Layton died on Monday after being diagnosed with a second form of cancer. His body returned to Parliament Hill on Wednesday to a solemn ceremony.
Over two days, more than 13,000 people trickled through the House of Commons foyer where Layton’s flag-draped coffin sat on a black block, surrounded by a solemn honour guard.

A common theme ran through the reasons given for coming to say goodbye in person with the words hope, honesty and optimistic repeatedly used by the crowds to describe Layton.

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The Vance family brought three generations to pay respects to Layton on Thursday.

“I really admire him and like his policies and how they were inclusive of all Canadians,” said Penny Vance, who cut short her cottage vacation to come to Ottawa.

Her son, Zach, works on Parliament Hill and has fond memories of Layton.

“(His death) changed the entire face of our upcoming session of Parliament,” he said. “It is going to be very difficult to replace him.

The youngest member of the Vance family, Emeth, was in a stroller, unlikely to remember the event, according to his dad, who says he will remind him as he grows up.

“This is, for better or worse, a very formative moment for our political system,” Vance said.

Many of the mourners expressed gratitude for the opportunity the public has had to say goodbye to Layton as part of his state funeral – a rare honour extended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
One of them was Rebecca Ng, who was visiting on her lunch break.

“He is the first politician to really have a heart,” she said. “His entire life has revolved around politics and he truly tried to work for Canadians. It was right for him to have a state funeral.”

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Andre Legault of Ottawa said he came to say goodbye to a man who “radiated honesty and optimism” and would have done so with or without a formal opportunity.

“He deserved a state funeral and I’m glad he got one, but I think it would have happened whether he got one or not,” he said.

Legault said he only hopes the NDP can find someone to replace Layton as the driving force behind the party.

Thursday’s line of mourners was steady, but shorter than the one that formed Wednesday under cloudy skies and strong winds.

By the time the wooden doors of Parliament’s Centre Block last night, an estimated 10,000 people had entered the solemn foyer of the House of Commons where Layton’s flag-draped coffin lay, surrounded by an honour guard.
Canadians from around the country were preceded to Parliament Hill by dignitaries including Governor General David Johnston and members of Canada’s political circles including Laureen Harper, former NPD leader Ed Broadbent, interim Liberal leader Bob Rae and scores of the NDP caucus.

Layton’s wife, Olivia Chow, his two children Sarah and Mike, along with other family members stood beside the coffin to accept the condolences of their political colleagues.

They also went outside to personally thank the crowds waiting outside.

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RCMP officers stopped Thursday’s lineup at 12:30 PM ET to allow the last mourners to trickle through before Layton’s family would have a final private moment with his coffin.

Just before heading inside to Parliament on Thursday, Chow surprised crowds at the memorial that cropped up on Monday night next to the Centennial Flame and has been growing ever since.

Chow exited her limo and stopped to take in the momentos people left in remembrance of her husband. Dozens of bouquets of orange flowers, melted candles and thank you notes were piled up on top of each other.

More unconventional symbols of remembrance included a dream-catcher, orange candies and orange Play-Dough.

Staggered throughout it all were several cans of Orange Crush – the nickname given to Layton’s most recent electoral victory.

Chow picked up the Play-Dough and clutched it to her chest before heading into Parliament.

Upon returning to Toronto, Layton’s body will lie in repose at Toronto’s City Hall on Friday. A funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 2 PM ET at Roy Thomson Hall.  The ceremony will be televised live on Global Television and GlobalNews.ca beginning at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT.
 

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