John Gilbert Layton PC MSC was a Canadian professor and politician. He was the husband of Olivia Chow a Canadian politician, former Member of Parliament and current mayor of Toronto since July 12, 2023.
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The couple were married from from 1988 till his death in August 2011. After being diagnosed with cancer, Layton died on August 22, 2011. The type and extent of the malignancy, as well as the precise cause of death, were not made public.
On August 20, 2012, Olivia Chow unveiled a statue dedicated to Layton, with tributes written in English, Chinese, and French. The statue can be seen in Harbour Square Park, near the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.
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John Layton led the New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2003 to 2011 and the Official Opposition in 2011. Under his leadership, the NDP gained support in each election.
The NDP’s popular vote nearly increased in the 2004 election, giving the party the balance of power in Paul Martin’s minority government.
He previously served on Toronto City Council, where he held the titles of acting mayor and deputy mayor of Toronto on occasion. From 2004 until his death, Layton served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Toronto—Danforth.
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