Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Swimming, biking, recycling and Pride

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, August 26, 2011 10:00am - 8 Comments

Tom Johnson remembers Jack Layton the swimmer.

“He was tough,” said Tom Johnson. “He was a guy who when he got the bit between his teeth and he wanted to do something, he could be pretty determined. I think that whole characteristic and personality trait that showed up in his political career was developed in his swimming career to a certain extent.

“The playing fields of Eton kind of thing. You learn those behaviours and you learn to persevere and you learn the tenacity and relentlessness you need to succeed. When you do a sport like swimming, you’re looking at a freakin’ black line most of the time but you’re workin’ inside your own head to try to work things out to make yourself better.”

Edward Keenan lists five ways Jack Layton changed Toronto.

Tags: Edward Keenan, environment, Jack Layton, Recycling, swimming, Tom Johnson, Toronto

More by Aaron Wherry

TonyAdams

Is Keenan’s list a list of five minor accomplishments we might not have known about or is that sum total Layton’s toronto career?

It says something about Canada that guy who brought bike lanes, those awful bike stands and useless recycling programs to Toronto is considered a deity for his accomplishments.

Doesn’t take much for left wing types to think of themselves as superior human beings.
TonyAdams

Is Keenan’s list a list of five minor accomplishments we might not have known about or is that sum total Layton’s toronto career?

It says something about Canada that guy who brought bike lanes, those awful bike stands and useless recycling programs to Toronto is considered a deity for his accomplishments.

Doesn’t take much for left wing types to think of themselves as superior human beings.
TonyAdams

Is Keenan’s list a list of five minor accomplishments we might not have known about or is that sum total Layton’s toronto career?

It says something about Canada that guy who brought bike lanes, those awful bike stands and useless recycling programs to Toronto is considered a deity for his accomplishments.

Doesn’t take much for left wing types to think of themselves as superior human beings.

Anonymous

You send everything to the landfill, I take it?
Anonymous

Oh well, that brings balance to the notion spread abroad by a certain politician that Canada is a second-rate country. Why is it second-rate? Certainly it’s large enough, rich enough in natural resources. Would it be our people, our children that are second-rate? It’s Canada that we have to be ashamed of. Spread sh.t like that around and right wingers will line up behind you. What does this say about Canadians? Have you considered changing the name of the country to British North America, calling yourselves British North Americans, flying the Union Flag to correct a historical wrong?

Anonymous

Isn’t it curious that people who don’t like Canada, and don’t like govt are keen to run the Canadian govt?
TonyAdams

I want to rename Canada because I am not impressed with Layton’s supposed accomplishments?

What’s connection, exactly?