Vancouver Island North residents are invited to celebrate the life and accomplishments of NDP leader Jack Layton this Saturday.
The gathering will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be upstairs at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay.
There will be live television coverage of the state funeral for Layton in Toronto starting at 11 a.m., and a book of condolences for people to sign.
“It will be a wonderful opportunity to express our thoughts in the book of condolences,” wrote North Island NDP Constituency Association president Don Beggs in an email.
Layton passed away in the early morning of Aug. 22 after a battle with cancer.
“I am proud to say that Jack had time for everyone, including me, and I, like millions of others will miss him personally. Nonetheless, his spirit and example will be marching on right behind up to inspire our desire for a better life for all in this good land,” wrote Beggs.
Layton wrote a farewell letter to Canadians shortly before his death.
“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair.
“So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic.
“And we’ll change the world,” wrote Layton.