Editing Jack Layton (section)

==Early life and career==
John Gilbert Layton was born on July 18, 1950 in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]],<ref name="Brittanica">{{cite web |title=Jack Layton |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-Layton |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=13 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref> to parents Doris Elizabeth ({{nee|Steeves}}), and Progressive Conservative MP [[Robert Layton (politician)|Robert Layton]]. He was the maternal great-grandnephew of [[William Steeves]], a [[Fathers of Confederation|Father of Confederation]], and his grandfather, [[Gilbert Layton]], had served as a minister without portfolio to the government of Quebec's [[Union Nationale (Quebec)|Union Nationale]] under Premier [[Maurice Duplessis]]. Layton was raised in [[Hudson, Quebec|Hudson]], a largely [[English Canada|Anglophone]] suburb of Montreal, where he served as the [[student council]] president of [[Hudson High School (Quebec)|Hudson High School]].<ref name="Independent-obit">{{cite news |last1=Childs |first1=Martin |title=Jack Layton: Canadian politician who became leader of the opposition after revitalising the NDP |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jack-layton-canadian-politician-who-became-leader-of-the-opposition-after-revitalising-the-ndp-2343970.html |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=August 26, 2011}}</ref> He would later credit longtime friend and musician [[Billy Bryans]] for having played a role in his student council victory.<ref name="Death announced">{{cite news|title=Parachute Club's Billy Bryans dies at 62|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/parachute-club-s-billy-bryans-dies-at-63-1.1157341|access-date=April 23, 2012|newspaper=[[CBC News]]|date=April 23, 2012|location=Toronto}}</ref> In his graduating yearbook, Layton wrote as a testament, "I leave to become prime minister."<ref>{{cite news |title=Layton remembered in hometown as NDP looks to maintain Quebec presence |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/layton-remembered-in-hometown-as-ndp-looks-to-maintain-quebec-presence-1.687121 |access-date=29 September 2023 |work=[[CTV Montreal]] |date=23 August 2011 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1969, he was appointed as the [[Parlement Jeunesse du Québec|Quebec Youth Parliament]] prime minister,<ref name="Times-Bio">{{cite news |title=Jack Layton |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/jack-layton-5cw0sz98mf3 |access-date=29 September 2023 |work=[[The Times]] |date=September 15, 2011 |language=en}}</ref> holding this position until 1970.<ref name="Independent-obit"/> That same year, Layton graduated from [[McGill University]] with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] (BA) with [[Honours degree|honours]] in [[political science]] and [[economics]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Grading the candidates |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/145268926/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |work=[[The Toronto Star]] |date=29 September 1991 |page=3 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Brittanica"/> and was a member of the [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity.<ref name="Macleans-2011">{{cite news |last1=Geddes |first1=John |title=The life and times of Jack Layton |url=https://macleans.ca/news/canada/the-making-of-jack-layton/ |access-date=29 September 2023 |work=[[Maclean's]] |date=17 June 2011}}</ref> During his time spent at McGill, Layton's view on politics had been greatly influenced by professor,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Geddes |first1=John |title=The real Jack Layton |url=https://macleans.ca/news/canada/the-real-jack/ |access-date=29 September 2023 |work=[[Maclean's]] |date=2 September 2011}}</ref> philosopher and mentor [[Charles Taylor (philosopher)|Charles Taylor]],<ref>{{cite news |title=NDP choose Craig Scott for Toronto-Danforth |url=https://www.cp24.com/ndp-choose-craig-scott-for-toronto-danforth-1.751255 |access-date=29 September 2023 |work=[[CP24]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=10 January 2012 |language=en}}</ref> so much so that he decided to switch his major from science to arts. Moreover, it was on Taylor's advice that he pursued his doctorate at the [[University of Toronto]] to study under political philosopher [[C. B. Macpherson]].<ref name="Canadian-Idealism">{{cite web |last1=Layton |first1=Jack |title=Canadian Idealism: An excerpt |url=https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2011/10/canadian-idealism/ |website=[[Literary Review of Canada]] |date=October 2011 |access-date=29 September 2023}}</ref> Layton followed [[pacifism]] and participated in [[Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War|anti-Vietnam War]] demonstrations.<ref name="Citizen2011">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=William |title=How Jack Layton courted Bloc voters |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen/145266186/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |work=[[The Ottawa Citizen]] |date=28 April 2011 |page=15 |language=en}}</ref>

In a foreword Layton wrote for ''Canadian Idealism and the Philosophy of Freedom'', he explains, "The idealist current holds that human society has the potential to achieve liberty when people work together to form a society in which equality means more than negative liberty, the absolute and protected right to run races against each other to determine winners. Idealists imagine a positive liberty that enables us to build together toward common objectives that fulfil and even surpass our individual goals."<ref>Meynell, Robert. ''Canadian Idealism and the Philosophy of Freedom''. Montreal-Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2011, xi–xii.</ref> Upon reading ''Canadian Idealism and the Philosophy of Freedom'', Layton came to understand himself as part of the intellectual tradition of [[Canadian idealism|Canadian idealists]].<ref name="Canadian-Idealism"/>

In 1970, Layton joined the [[New Democratic Party]],<ref>{{cite news |title=What do you need to know about the men who want to be prime minister |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/145268105/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |work=[[The Vancouver Sun]] |date=2 June 2004 |page=7 |language=en}}</ref> and would later cite his influence being from [[Tommy Douglas]] voicing opposition to the imposition of the ''[[War Measures Act]]'' during the 1970 [[October Crisis]].<ref name="Citizen2011"/> He also moved to Toronto to attend [[York University]],<ref name="ValpyObit">{{cite news |last1=Valpy |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael Valpy |title=Jack Layton brought inspirational politics to a cynical age |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/jack-layton-brought-inspirational-politics-to-a-cynical-age/article591410/ |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=August 22, 2011 |language=en-CA}}</ref> where he received his [[Master of Arts]] (MA) in political science in 1972; he would also later receive his [[Doctor of Philosophy]] (PhD) in political science here in 1983.{{efn|Sources state that he received his MA in either 1971<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitehorn |first1=Alan |title=Jack Layton |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jack-layton |website=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |access-date=June 7, 2024 |language=en |date=January 3, 2012}}</ref><ref name="CanadianPress-2003">{{cite news |title=A sketch of federal NDP leadership candidate Jack Layton |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/359547954 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=January 22, 2003|id={{ProQuest|359547954}} }}</ref> or 1972,<ref name="Brittanica"/> and his PhD in either 1983<ref name="Brittanica"/><ref name="CanadianPress-2003"/> or 1984.<ref>{{cite news |title=PROFILE: Jack Layton, the NDP fighter |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/profile-jack-layton-the-ndp-fighter-1.1039834 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[CBC News]] |date=July 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Profile: New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-13217730 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[BBC]] |date=April 29, 2011}}</ref> According to York University, he received his MA in 1972 and his PhD in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tancock |first1=Martha |title=Jack Layton made his political entrée at York |url=https://www.yorku.ca/research/category/news/2011/08/jack-layton-made-his-political-entree-at-york/ |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[York University]] |date=August 23, 2011 |language=en-CA}}</ref>}} In 1974, Layton began his academic career as an educator at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (now [[Toronto Metropolitan University]]),<ref name="Times-Bio"/> where he taught political science.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hayes |first1=David R. |title=A new star rising over left field |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/386627028 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=January 8, 1983|id={{ProQuest|386627028}} }}</ref> He also spent time working at York and, from 1978 to 1994, worked at the University of Toronto as an [[adjunct professor]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Layton, Jack – TMU Archives and Special Collections |url=https://archives.library.torontomu.ca/index.php/layton-jack-gilbert-july-18-1950-august-22-2011 |website=[[Toronto Metropolitan University]] |access-date=June 7, 2024}}</ref> He also became a prominent activist for a variety of causes. He wrote several books, including ''Homelessness: The Making and Unmaking of a Crisis'' and a book on general public policy, ''Speaking Out''.<ref name="ValpyObit"/>