Public visitation – Toronto City Hall
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Global News coverage
Global News TV special: Remembering Jack Layton
Saturday 1:00 p.m. EST / 10:00 a.m. PST
**Will also be streamed LIVE online at GlobalNews.ca**
Funeral procession
Saturday 1:00 p.m.
Procession will leave City Hall, head west on Queen Street, south on University Avenue, west on King Street, and south on Simcoe Street to Roy Thomson Hall.
Toronto police say there will be traffic disruptions from noon to 5 p.m., with road closures in the area bounded by Bay Street to the east, Queen Street West to the north, Wellington Street to the south, and John Street to the west.
Funeral service
Saturday 2:00 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall
Listed below are some of the people and artists participating in the service:
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Members of the orchestra will be playing a section of Handel’s Messiah and Samuel Barber’s haunting “Adagio for Strings”.
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Richard Underhill: The Juno award-winning jazz saxophone player will be playing two selections of music, Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and “The Magnificent Cat”. Underhill and fellow musician Lorraine Segato composed a catchy campaign song to energize Layton’s campaign for NDP leadership in 2003.
Metropolitan Community Church Choir: The group will sing the processional. Layton and Chow were not members of the church, but attended Christmas Eve and Pride Day services at the gay-friendly church.
Joy Klopp: A Toronto soprano will sing “O Canada” at the service.
Shawn Atleo: The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations will offer an Aboriginal blessing. Atleo and Layton worked together on First Nations issues.
Anne McGrath: Layton’s long-time chief of staff will welcome guests to the service.
Rev. Brent Hawkes: The pastor at Toronto’s Metropolitan Community Church will welcome guests, preach a sermon and give a benediction at the service. Hawkes started meeting with Layton to plan ahead in mid-July. In life, Layton met many times with Hawkes who leads a liberal congregation that welcomes the LGBT community. The two men had a mutual passion for social justice issues.
Nycole Turmel: The Layton-selected interim leader of the NDP will read a passage in the New Testament from Philippians 2.
Myer Siemiatycki: Siemiatycki, a Ryerson professor of politics and long-time friend of Layton, will read a passage from the Old Testament in Isaiah 57. Siemiatycki was taught by Layton who was a tenured professor before entering politics.
Tasleem Riaz: Riaz will read from the Qu’ran.
Martin Deschamps: The Quebecois musician will play his song « Croire » which means « Believe ». Deschamps met Layton in a Quebec City pub five years ago and stayed in touch with the political leader who shared his love of music.
Stephen Lewis: Known as an impressive orator, Lewis will deliver a eulogy at the service. Lewis is the former leader of the Ontario NDP and a former UN ambassador. He is well-known for championing the cause of HIV/AIDS in the developing world.
Karl Belanger: Belanger worked with Layton as his press secretary for eight years and will deliver a eulogy to remember his boss and friend.
Mike and Sarah Layton: Jack’s two children from his first marriage will remember their father in a eulogy.
Steven Page: Barenaked Ladies frontman and long-time friend of Layton will sing “Hallelujah.” Earlier this year Layton and Page organized “Let’s Jack it Up,” a night of music and politics.
Lorraine Segato: Segato of 1980s pop fame will sing her smash hit “Rise Up” – an anthemn used regularly by Layton and Chow.
Julie Michels: The Toronto singer will preform “Get Together.”
Chris Dawes: The musician will pay “Hymn to Freedom.”
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