[dba-Tech] OT: Jack Layton

This week, a man died of cancer in Canada. His name was Jack Layton. He was
Leader of the Opposition in parliament, head of the New Democratic Party,
and a galvanizing force in Canadian politics and political life. About 30
years ago, when Jack was a City Councillor in Toronto, I wrote the first
version of his campaign-management software, later to be shared with Olivia
Chow, who would soon become his wife. In step with his successes, we went on
to develop several subsequent versions. Each time the software got better,
and I like to think that it played some small part in his success.

Jack is the first person in Canadian history who is not a prime minister or
cabinet minister to be given a state funeral. It's occurring as I write
this. He has so many achievements that it's hard to know where to begin. He
was the first to embrace gay rights, green city culture, he invented the
White Ribbon HIV-AIDS campaign. campaigned for bicycle-culture (he rode his
bicycle to work even in the dead of winter; I remember him saying that if
you dress for it, you can bicycle even in Toronto winters). He was
tri-lingual (he was born in Quebec and so learned English and French when he
was young, and later on learned Cantonese from his wife Olivia Chow). He had
several remarkable and unique characteristics, notable among them his
open-door policy. I know this because I was frequently there working on his
computer, adding reports etc. while people walked in and told him of their
problems and complaints -- and he acted on them.

In this week of his death, it is astonishing how many thousands of people
are weeping openly at his loss. Even those who don't share his political
views are weeping. One thing everyone of every political stripe can say is
that Jack never argued ad hominem (against the man), but always stuck to the
issues: poverty, homelessness, gay rights, green economics.

Such was his measure that even the prime minister of Australia flew halfway
around the world to attend Jack's funeral == not to mention thousands of
Torontonians and others who came to pay their respects and honour a man.

Rest in peace, Jack. You will be missed by Canadians of every political
stripe.

Arthur