Dozens of Edmontonians gathered Friday night to remember former NDP leader Jack Layton.
The event at Grant Notley Park was filled with music and memories of the late leader, who died a year ago after succumbing to cancer.
“He’s the person who inspired me to get into politics,” said Linda Duncan, NDP MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona.
“There are people like Jack Layton who lives and breathes what he’s doing. He sets the bar high. I think he set the bar high for everyone.”
Speeches were read, a choir sang, and there was also a guitar performance in Layton’s honour.
Rochelle Knibb says she remembers Layton’s visit to Edmonton fondly.
“He came to Edmonton and he just made time with everybody who wanted to talk to him about things that concerned them,” said Rochelle Knibb.
“He was just really very special about the way he interacted with people and you don’t see that from most politicians.”
Alex McEachern said he’s seen a number of NDP leaders come and go and say Layton was one of the best.
“Jack spoke so calmly and sensibly about all the issues,” McEachern said.
“I was quite proud of him as a leader quite frankly. He took us to the pinnacle in terms of our party with federal support and it would have been nice if he had been able to stay around and build on it. He deserved the rewards of what he’d done and also the chance to continue to build on it.”
Layton died of cancer last year; just months after his party took on the role of Official Opposition for the first time in its 50-year history.
Local party members and supporters say they will continue to carry on Layton’s legacy by putting the environment before the economy.
