Jack Layton Quotes

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

Cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey.

Always have a dream that will outlast your lifetime.

Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward.

You can wait forever for perfect conditions or you can make do with what you have.

I don't know why we'd need so many more prisons when the crooks seem so happy in the Senate.

Politics matters. Ideas matter. Democracy matters, because all of us need to be able to make a difference.

Don't let them tell you it can't be done.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world.

We want to challenge the established ideas with new ideas.

Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world.

I've always favoured proposition over opposition. But we will oppose the government when it's off track. We'll support positive suggestions that we'll bring forward and support the government when it's making progress.

When you're sick, you present your medicare card, not your credit card.

There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you.

So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

I believe how I live my life every day is my act of worship.

Free speech is one of our fundamental principles and it's pretty hard to speak freely when people are yelling at you when it's your turn. That would never be allowed in a classroom or in any other kind of meeting.

Ideas are always more important than money.

Are we allowed to sing? I imagine that at times, it might improve the tone of the debate.

I believe that when Paul Martin cancelled affordable housing across this country it produced a dramatic rise in homelessness and deaths due to homelessness. I've always said I hold him responsible for that.

Canadians can get Parliament working again. Here's how to do that: elect more New Democrats.

Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

The responsibility of a minister is to step aside when there is a criminal investigation of the department. That protects the propriety of Parliament and of responsible government.

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope.

Well, I say it's time to take Stephen Harper to the woodshed!