Aaron Champion

Toronto (and yes, Canada too) often gets the reputation for being an apathetic city. Generally that’s a statement I wouldn’t disagree with. But in the last few months it feels like something has changed. The reaction to the Ford administration has been anything but apathetic. And witnessing, in person, the marathon council session last month cemented to me that Torontonians care about their city and are willing to fight for it. A dozen blocks away their may have been bars filled with hipsters unconcerned with what was happening at city hall, but Nathan Phillips Square was full of passion for this town. The outpouring of grief for Jack Layton is the latest in this trend. Layton was, Toronto’s MP.He went from charismatic counsellor to head of the NDP and always considered this city home - and always fought for Toronto in parliament. I don’t want to say that we feel his death more here in this city, but I do think we will feel his absence more. Today we are saying goodbye to Toronto’s great crusader right around the time the rest of the city feels ready for the crusade. I moved to toronto in 2004 into Laytons’s riding. He was the first person I ever voted for and that’s a feeling I will never forget.