NDP caucus picks Turmel as Layton's fill-in

Quebec MP Nycole Turmel says she is "overwhelmed" by the support of her NDP caucus to fill in for Jack Layton while he battles cancer.
"I'm overwhelmed by the support of the caucus today. I'm also ready to take on the job as long as the federal council accepts the recommendation of the caucus," Turmel said following the caucus meeting Wednesday morning. "We have a strong caucus, we have a strong leader as Jack Layton. We want to give him the time to rest to come back in September," said Turmel.
The decision to back Turmel was unanimous, according to deputy leader Libby Davies who also spoke to reporters after the meeting.
"For two and half hours we've had a wonderful discussion supporting each other and our leader," said Davies. She said she felt an incredible strength in the room.
Layton was said to be in good spirits Wednesday as his party's MPs gathered on Parliament Hill to choose his interim replacement while the Official Opposition leader battles cancer.
The party's president, Brian Topp, said Layton's voice was strong when he spoke to him Wednesday morning, and he asked Topp to express how grateful he is for the thousands of messages he's received from Canadians over the last two days.
"He's drawing great power and spirit from them," Topp told reporters in Ottawa as the NDP's caucus meeting was getting underway.
The NDP leader shocked his caucus, and many Canadians, on Monday when he held a news conference to announce that he was recently diagnosed with a second form of cancer and is taking time off to fight it.
Layton recommended that Quebec MP and caucus chair Nycole Turmel fill in for him until his planned return to work on Sept.19 when Parliament resumes.
Wednesday's caucus meeting was convened according to the party's constitution. An interim leader must be selected by the caucus and the recommendation given to the NDP's federal council, which will meet Thursday and make the final decision.

Final decision Thursday

Topp said the federal council is looking forward to hearing the advice of the caucus and it will aim to announce the interim leader by the end of the day Thursday. Topp left little doubt, however, that it is Turmel who will be named Layton's temporary replacement.
He said he hasn't heard anyone question Layton's pick for his fill-in and described Turmel as an "impressive woman" who has a long history with the NDP.
Turmel, MP for Hull-Aylmer, is "already a well-known public figure in the province of Quebec and is about to become a well-known national figure," said Topp.
The former public service union leader is a rookie MP but quickly made a positive impression on her fellow MPs and was unanimously elected caucus chair.
The majority of the NDP caucus is made up of new MPs like Turmel but Topp and many other New Democrats say Layton has built a strong team that will carry on while he's gone and prove its worth in the coming months.
"I think we have got the bench strength in this team to step forward and handle it and the proof will be in the pudding," he said.
"I haven't heard anything but full support for Jack Layton's recommendation that Nycole be the interim leader," deputy leader Libby Davies said Wednesday morning on CBC News. She's a new parliamentarian but is familiar with federal politics and has earned the respect of many, said Davies.
"This is not an issue of any division or anything like that," said Davies. "All we want to do is work together and do our leader proud, to do our party proud and to do the job that Canadians want us to do as Official Opposition as we deal with a Conservative government."
Davies and Thomas Mulcair are both deputy leaders and some were surprised that neither of them was chosen by Layton to replace him temporarily.
Davies said both she and Mulcair will support Turmel or whoever is named interim leader on Thursday and she emphasized the closeness of the NDP caucus.

NDP caucus vows to stay strong and united

"We're a very close caucus, we're a big caucus, 103 members, but we're very close, we're like an extended family," said Davies.
Davies did not want to speculate on what would happen beyond Sept. 19 if Layton is not well enough to come back to work in time to sit opposite Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the House of Commons.
"Right now, today, we're focused on getting together, showing our solidarity and support for our leader and each other," she said.
Topp also took questions about what would happen if Layton can't resume his leadership duties and on the idea of MPs jockeying to replace him. He said he expects people in the party to be ambitious and want to play a leading role and that he would be disappointed otherwise. But Layton is the most popular leader they've ever had, he noted, and he doesn't think any NDP MPs want to see each other interfere with Layton's goals for the party.
"I would be astonished if there were egregious or unhelpful moves by members of the team and anybody who did actions ... in the months to come would probably regret it," he said.
New Democrat MPs started making their way back to Ottawa from their ridings on Tuesday and though it's a sombre occasion that is bringing them together, they say they will be strong and support each other through what they acknowledge is going to be a difficult time.
“We’re a strong party. We’re here for Jack and we’re here for each other,” Alberta NDP MP Linda Duncan said as she entered the meeting room.

Layton not at Wednesday caucus

Layton was not at Wednesday's gathering but spoke with his caucus via Skype.
Joe Comartin, a veteran NDP MP, said he was shocked and saddened when he heard the news Monday. He said the strength of the caucus will carry them through the months ahead.
"The health problems that Jack is having are going to encourage us to be even stronger," he said.
Jack Harris acknowledged that many view Layton as the one and only face of the NDP, but like his colleagues he emphasized that their leader has built a solid caucus over the years.
"Jack Layton has been the brand of the party but he's also produced a very strong team," he said. "It's up to us to put extra effort into ensuring that that continues."
He also commented on the mid-summer meeting and why it's happening, saying that he was hoping Layton was going to be able to take time this summer to recover from the hectic spring campaign and session of Parliament.
"It's very disappointing that he has to face this new challenge," said Harris.
In the wake of Monday's announcement, many NDP MPs were praising Layton for the kind of leader he is, what he's done for the party, as well as for his courage and determination as he faces cancer for a second time. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2009 and on Monday he revealed he now has an unrelated cancer but didn't say what kind.
Layton looked thin and sounded weak but his resolve was solid. He said he has always been hopeful and optimistic in his professional work and is equally hopeful and optimistic about his personal challenge.
His news resonated with Canadians across the country and prompted an outpouring of support and wishes for a speedy recovery.
Layton is receiving treatment at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital and in the meantime, his caucus is vowing to carry on with the work in preparation for the fall session.

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