It was sad to learn of the passing of Alexa McDonough the other day. She was one of the three federal new democratic leaders who have earned our respect and admiration over the years. They should be rated as number one, Alexa, number two, Tommy Douglas, and number three, David Lewis. Other than that, it has been a line-up of losers.
I know, I know. I left out Jack Layton. I knew Jack. I enjoyed working against him. I wish I had been in Quebec for the Orange Wave. I have to admit, that was the Jack, I didn’t know.
I was laughing the other day to learn that Jagmeet Singh is taking paternity leave to celebrate his becoming a father. I knew there was something he could achieve if he took off the five Ks of the Tenth Guru.
I was not aware of Alexa when she was leader of the Nova Scotia NDP but she was the perfect solution to the national leadership in 1995. She brought a freshness to the party. She doubled its house of commons representation in the 1997 general election. (They went from 9 seats to 21.)
She also brought a dignity to the house of commons that it so sorely needed. She was missed after retiring from the house in 2008.
Like others I have known over the years, she drifted off into the darkness of Alzheimer’s. I raise a glass in her memory.
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Copyright 2022 © Peter Lowry
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