Jack’s got your back!

 

In 1989 I travelled to Toronto to meet with Toronto City councillor, Jack Layton. As a Melbourne City Councillor, despite the hype surrounding Melbourne’s bid for the 1996 Olympic Games, I was concerned at the impact of the Olympic Games on the city. 

I therefore argued for the need to undertake a social and environmental impact of the Olympics on the city. It fell on deaf ears.  

 I was very much in a minority as the wheels of political and business support were well and truly in motion. 

Jack had linked up with an anti poverty group called Bread not Circuses and I was interested in knowing their campaigning methods and the issues they were wanting to bring to the attention of Torontonians. 

I met Jack several times at City Hall and spent time going over the campaign he was heavily involved. We agreed to continue our conversation and cooperation. 

Following my visit to Toronto I visited Atlanta the city that was ultimately chosen for the Olympics against Athens the sentimental favourite. 

 Unlike Melbourne Atalanta was a city that was host to many international companies many of whom had  extending and strong connections to the world of business and especially in Africa.  Atlanta was also very much an Afro American city.

CNN was headquartered in Atlanta and its media and commercial interests were significant in the winning bid. It should be added that Melbourne’s  bid was hampered by a view amongst some heavily involved in both the Olympics and business that Sydney who had been unsuccessful in being the Australian bidding city, was being ‘groomed’ for the 2000 bid! 

 I again met Jack in 2009 in Copenhagen at the COP on climate change.  Once again I found his presence and his unquestionable commitment to social and environmental justice overwhelming and inspiring. 

Jack died of cancer in 2011 but his legacy in Toronto lives on. He took the city and the country to new and progressive heights and led the New Democratic Party to the status of the offical opposition. 

He was truly a man who turned a mission into actions that made a difference.