Ottawa-Centre NDP MP Paul Dewar spoke to CTV Ottawa Tuesday about the loss of Jack Layton, who was both his boss and a friend. Read a transcript of his interview with CTV News at Noon.
Michael O'Byrne, CTV Ottawa: Ottawa NDP MP Paul Dewar knew Jack Layton both as a boss and a friend. Paul, in some ways Jack Layton was a lot like your late mom, Marion, a former Ottawa mayor – both trail blazers.
Paul Dewar: Yeah. In fact, Michael, in the last 24 hours my thoughts have been with Jack and my feelings have been similar to that the feelings I had in 2008 when my mother passed away. They actually knew each other very well. They both came from a municipal background and they were very committed to people and their feet were firmly planted in their respective communities. And they both came out of Quebec. Mom was born in Montreal, as was Jack, and their formative years were in Quebec, both of them.
CTV: Now, we all know his politics, but is there anything about the man himself that you'd like to tell people about?
PD: Oh yeah. He loved to have fun. I think people saw that. But he didn't have fun at the expense of people; he liked to have fun with people. And I remember during the last election when he did his little jig at the sugar shack over in Gatineau and you know little kids and people around just fed off of that. I think you know that was something that was exceptional. There was no play acting there. What you saw in the public was what you saw behind closed doors.
But he also was very determined. The changes that we saw in our caucus from each election, 2004, 2006, 2008 and then of course culminating in the last election in May, was also about Jack's determination to grow the party and the movement. And he did that based on his connections to people right across the country. And he was dogged in terms of organizing and making sure that we, you know, worked together to build the party and his affinity to people was his greatest strength.
Finally, I think that those who knew him who he had helped will tell you that he connected with them specifically. It wasn't about trying to win over people, but connecting with people. And their personal stories meant a lot to them and I've been hearing those stories, while last night when I was at the vigil, individuals coming up to me and sharing the story of their story of meeting Jack and how he helped them personally.
CTV: Paul Dewar, appreciate your time today. Sorry for the loss. And it's funny, I thought about your mother when I heard about Jack Layton as well. Thank you for your time today. Take Care.
PD: Thanks so much, Michael.
