OTTAWA-One year ago Wednesday, NDP Leader Jack Layton lost his battle with cancer.
“It’s been a very tough year,” widow Olivia Chow tells 1310News. “I miss Jack a lot.”
Chow says it does help knowing that people continue to honour Jack’s legacy through acts of kindness or charity to make the world a better place
“To see that kind of response is just wonderful and it doesn’t matter what political stripe that person has,” Chow said. “As long as we strive to make a difference.”
Everywhere she goes Chow says she is reminded of her late husband and it’s particularly difficult on holidays, birthdays and anniversaries.
“I’m constantly reminded of him when I’m at Parliament Hill, at home and in our Ottawa apartment so it’s pretty tough,” said Chow.
Layton’s family, friends and supporters will hold a giant memorial for him on Wednesday. Chow, said the Toronto gathering will be more a celebration of what Layton stood for — hope and optimism — than about the man himself.
Here in Ottawa there is a vigil being held in Layton’s name at Parliament Hill’s Eternal Flame at 11 a.m., and in Hintonburg there will a picnic in memory of Jack Layton at 6 p.m. in the park on Fairmont Avenue.
Events are also planned in other cities across Canada. Ontario: Thunder Bay, Brampton, Sudbury; Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton; Saskatchewan: Regina, Saskatoon; Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City, Sherbrooke; Vancouver, B.C.; and Winnipeg, Man.