Layton remembered at Labour Day Parade 0
Thousands of shouting and flag-waving marchers paid tribute to Jack Layton in Monday’s annual Labour Day Parade.
“Today’s a day to celebrate the workers of our city,juicy couture outletand … seeing this crowd out here today, Jack would be proud and would want us to continue to fight for a fair and just city … for our workers,” said Layton’s son, Toronto Councillor Mike Layton.
He marched at the front of the parade with his sister, Sarah, interim federal NDP leader Nycole Turmel and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan said the elder Layton’s presence was sadly missed on the day that unionized labour celebrated solidarity and put a spotlight on challenges facing workers.
“Today is a sad day in some respects because Jack had been marching with us for the last 15 years or so,” said Ryan.
“But at the same time, we’re also concerned about what labour is facing over the coming year,” he added. “We’ve got two-tier wage systems, two-tier pension plans, we’ve got many big strikes all around the province, and of course we’re going into negotiations here in the city.”
Toronto mayor Rob Ford was not invited “because of how he fundamentally disrespects the working people that work at the City of Toronto,” John Cartwright, president of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, recently told the Toronto Sun.
Ford has long warned of looming layoffs and buyouts of city workers to help deal with the city’s deficit. Deputy Mayor Doug Holiday has said that City Hall is preparing to ask its unionized workers for “concessions” during bargaining sessions next year.
Hundreds of unions and associations marched in Monday’s parade, according to NDP parade organizer Paul Pighin, who added that 1,000 wristbands and shirts were handed to marchers shortly before the start of the parade.
The route took participants from the intersection of Queen St. W and University Ave. to Exhibition Place.
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