When I think about federal NDP leader Jack Layton, my memories go back to the time when I interviewed him for the Regional Optimist in 2010.
Layton was calling on the federal government to extend the deadlines municipalities had to comply with to get federal stimulus money for infrastructure under Canada's "economic action plan."
There was a deadline set of March 31, 2011 for projects to be done, and many Saskatchewan communities were running into problems meeting it because of construction delays due to flooding, rain and other issues.
I called the NDP in Ottawa and arranged to join in Layton's press conference by teleconference where I could listen and, presumably, pose a question or two.
The whole effort was beset by technical problems and the NDP staffer offered instead to set up a few minutes with the NDP leader himself.
The fact the NDP was willing to provide me direct access to Layton impressed me. They could have blown off this reporter from this paper in North Battleford, but they didn't.
A short time later, the phone at my desk rang. It was Jack Layton.
I ended up on the line with Layton for a good five or six minutes, getting his take on the whole stimulus deadline issue.
Stood out was Layton's command and knowledge of municipal affairs. He said he had spoken to the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and noted that some 30 projects were delayed because of the weather, and he raised the possibility the cost would be downloaded to the local municipalities and result in higher property taxes.
"It's going to be the local property taxpayer that faces an increase in the property tax because of the Conservatives' intransigence," I quoted Layton as saying in the piece that ran in the Regional Optimist.
"Why should the people of Saskatchewan be punished because they had a season of flooding? That's not right."
Eventually the Conservative government did change the stimulus deadline to Oct. 31, 2011. Count this among the many issues where the addition of Layton's voice had an impact in achieving results.
What was most striking about my interview was that even though Layton led a national party in Parliament, here he was taking about the same issues local leaders deal with all the time. The references to SUMA and to property taxes were topics you'd just as easily hear about in conversations with Mayor Ian Hamilton or Mayor Chris Odishaw or other local officials.
It reflects Layton's background and knowledge of municipal politics and the issues municipalities face. He spent most of his public life at the municipal level as a city councillor or regional councillor in Toronto.
I'd like to think the fact Layton bothered to call me back might have had something to do with his municipal background as well, as civic officials usually are known for their accessibility to the media.
Certainly, his accessibility was something I appreciated.
Layton's death has hit Canadians hard for many reasons. There have been plenty of references to his fighting spirit, and his optimism. He seemed to truly enjoy public life and enjoyed mixing it up with political opponents .
There is widespread respect for the passion and the principle Layton brought to public life - even from people who never supported him. Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke of his own regret about the musical "jam session" with Layton that never happened.
But New Democrats have been hit hardest of all. Their leader, the man party faithful were stuffing envelopes and knocking on doors for during this spring's election, is gone.
The sadness in Len Taylor's voice was especially evident when I talked to him recently. The NDP MLA talked about how the party has gone from the highest highs to the lowest lows with this news.
The overflow of emotion we've seen over Layton's death has been called over the top by some commentators, but I think the public reaction is understandable. Part of it has to do with the cruel timing. Layton never had a chance to enjoy his party's success from the May election.
More of it has to do with the fact that it's terribly rare for Canadian politicians to die in office. I read the last one to do so was Wilfrid Laurier when he was Liberal opposition leader, but that was back in 1919.
Moreover, Laurier died at a ripe old age. Layton was only 61.
One could say in this era, one of television, radio and the Internet, the death of a political leader has even more impact than in Laurier's time.
Just weeks ago, Layton was on television constantly, appearing in NDP campaign ads and on the election trail, duking it out with Harper during the televised debates. He came to Saskatchewan several times during the campaign and there are probably many local NDP supporters who saw him live, on stage, with his cane, at a rally they attended.
True, Layton had been fighting his recent health problems but it didn't seem like any of them were stopping him. He was like one of these boxers who will take hit after hit and blow after blow, yet still come back for more, round after round.
No wonder, then, that people are in a state of shock all over the country. You just don't expect a fighter you see in the ring fighting the good fight to get knocked out so soon.
