Undoubtedly, most Canadians have heard about the death of the Hon. Jack Layton (1950-2011), Leader of the Official Opposition in Canada’s 41st Parliament, 1st Session, and Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth since June 2004. Dr. Layton was also a former Toronto city councillor and one-time Vice-President and then President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. He was a well-known advocate on AIDS research, environmental, housing and homelessness issues, and co-chair and founder of the White Ribbon Campaign on Violence against Women. Dr. Layton’s list of accomplishments is too long to list but here is a short list of books by Jack Layton, available for placing on hold from Toronto Public Library:

Homelessness: how to end the national crisis. Layton, Jack with Michael Shapcott.
Revised and updated ed. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2008. 272 p.

Homelessness: the making and unmaking of a crisis.
Toronto: Penguin, 2000. xxiii, 246 p.

Speaking out louder: ideas that work for Canadians.
Revised and updated. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2006. 288 p.

Speaking out: ideas that work for Canadians.  
Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2004. 288 p.  (Also available in Talking Book format restricted to print disabled patrons).

A full list of Toronto Public Library holdings by Jack Layton can be accessed by clicking here.

Jack Layton was only the second federal Leader of the Opposition to die in office. The first was none other than the Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1841-1919) who had previously served as Canada’s first francophone Prime Minister. Only two Canadian Prime Ministers died in office: the Right Honourable Sir John A. Macdonald (1815-1891) and the Right Honourable Sir John S. D. Thompson (1844-1894).

For books about Laurier, Macdonald and Thompson, consider the following titles:

The destiny of Canada: Macdonald, Laurier, and the election of 1891 / Christopher John Pennington, 2011. (Series: The History of Canada)

Canada’s first Prime Minister fought his final election campaign before his death the same year. Macdonald fought the election once again on his “National Policy” of tariffs against American goods. His opponent, Liberal leader Wilfrid Laurier, urged Canadians to embrace unrestricted free trade with the United States. Macdonald was concerned about Canada losing its political independence to the Americans should the Liberals win. Scandals and accusations of treason peppered the campaign but Macdonald and Laurier both sought a Canada that would overcome its ethnocultural, linguistic and religious differences to develop a pan-Canadian national identity.

Favourite son?: John A. Macdonald and the voters of Kingston 1841-1891 / Ged Martin, 2010.

Historian Martin looked at Macdonald’s connection to the Kingston riding that he held for 38 of 47 years served in politics. Martin juxtaposed Macdonald’s national focus with the need to be a local politician as well.

John A.: the man who made us: the life and times of John A. Macdonald, Vol. 1 1815-1867 / Richard Gwyn, 2007.

Journalist Gwyn showed Macdonald to be a pragmatic politician who developed Canada’s first “big-tent” political party, the Liberal-Conservative Party, and sought compromise in establishing a workable government. Macdonald demonstrated his loyalty to the British Empire and his preference for its legal and political systems over its American counterparts. Some readers might question the author’s contention that Macdonald’s primary motivation was seeking money and power.

The man from Halifax: Sir John Thompson, prime minister / P.B. Waite, 1985.

Thompson served as Prime Minister for less than two years. As Justice Minister under John A. Macdonald, he defended the trial and execution of Louis Riel. Thompson fought hard for Canada to have its own copyright legislation separate from British legislation. In 1892, Thompson introduced Canada’s first Criminal Code. Thompson died in office as Prime Minister before the government had to deal with the Manitoba Schools Question.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the romance of Canada / Laurier LaPierre, 1996.

Historian LaPierre covered Laurier’s life from the early years through his education at the McGill University Law School, his marriage to his adored Zoé and his relationship with the enchanting Émilie Lavergne. LaPierre brought out Laurier’s feelings on Louis Riel and the Northwest Rebellion and some challenges that he faced including the Manitoba language and school issue and a conservative church in the province of Québec.

Wilfrid Laurier / André Pratte, 2011. (Series: Extraordinary Canadians)

Pratte shows Laurier at his best as an eloquent, masterful politician well-accustomed to the art of compromise. Whether in government or opposition, Laurier had to deal with contentious issues such as the 1899-1902 South African war, the 1910 naval crisis over the “tinpot navy”, the loss of the 1891 and 1911 elections over free trade with the United States, and the 1917 conscription crisis which badly divided the Liberal Party.