Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Do you know that to be the case? It seems to me that, at the time, it's was often reported as being subsidised. There was also some malarky about putting one of their houses in the name of the mother-in-law. The housing was, of course, a small matter compared to being paid to be in Ottawa as an MP while being paid to be in Toronto as a councillor and running up enormous expenses at both.

The taxpayers were certainly kind to Mr. Layton financially but then politics in Canada is corrupt. I don't think he was worse than, say, Jean Chretien or Brian Mulroney.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Yes, I do. He was a member of the same housing lobby group I belonged to.

I don't disagree with what you're saying about the bigger picture, by the way. I found him to be as repugnant as any politician and as a person let's just say he wouldn't have been on my Christmas card list.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Blimey, who would have thought Christie Blatchford was still alive.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

I'd never heard of her previously. Is she Canada's equivalent of Melanie Philips?

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Exactly. She used to write for the Toronto Sun then disappeared, I assumed she'd long since expired.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

I see another journalist has had to apologise for a remark about needing a massage. Jack had history in that area did he?

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Allegedly. He frequented massage parlours but he may have made his excuses and left. No evidence has come my way.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Perhaps he was canvassing the workers for their vote?

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

There was a story on this conveniently leaked to the Toronto Sun (by a retired Toronto police officer) a few days before the election last May. Apparently he went to a massage place for a massage, not realizing it was a rub & tug; police raided the premises and found him there, he and several other customers were released without charge.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/...of-layton-leak

Misguided, naive or dishonest? You decide...

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Does anyone actually do that? Maybe women and gay men go to the Elmwood for an actual massage but a straight man in a strip mall massage parlour? It's not very aware to go in to such a place expecting an unhappy ending.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

To which I say, so what?

I don't care if he wants to pay for it. What he does in his private life is his business.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Except that his schtick was being down with the proles, if he really didn't know when he was in a knocking shop then that rather damages his credibility.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

I guess, we are paying for his funeral too. That is the way he would want it. Although may he RIP.

Re: Jack Layton dead
 

Afraid I find it all more than a little OTT......I can think of a number of others that would be more deserving of a State Funeral.....

Perhaps I am still not fully 'Canadianised'....or should I say 'North Americanised' and the 'heart on my sleeve' culture has not quite taken.....

:cool: