Dear friends,
I write to you today with a heavy heart. Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party, has passed away. Jack was one of Canada's greatest leaders, and a man who advanced the cause of social justice, sustainability and civil rights like no other. Jack was a great friend to our community, and will be deeply missed.
I wanted to share with you my fondest memory of Jack:
Dana Larsen, Nicole Seguin and I were in Gatineau Quebec for the NDP Quebec convention last fall. The event was small, perhaps 200 people but full of camaraderie and optimism. It's hard to explain the feeling of being a marijuana activist at events such as this. Needless to say, our presence is well noted, and many are not sure what to say or do with us. People are always polite, but one gets the sense that people are afraid to be seen with us. Not Jack Layton. I think perhaps he must have noticed this behaviour from others as well. On the final evening of the convention, everyone was invited to a celebration at a local Gatineau brewery. Dana, Nicole and I along with some of our Quebec friends, had smoked a joint prior to entering the Brewery and found a table in the back corner of the room. We no doubt smelled strongly of marijuana, certainly the looks from others indicated this to be so. Read more »