Birth Name: John Gilbert Layton
Date of Birth: July 18, 1950
Place of Birth: Montreal, Quebec
Date of Death: August 22, 2011
Place of Death: Toronto, Ontario
Ethnicity: English, with some German and Irish
Jack Layton was a Canadian politician. He was Leader of the New Democratic Party from January 25, 2003 to August 22, 2011, and, as such, he served as Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian Parliament from May 2, 2011 until August 22, 2011. He died that day.
Jack was the son of Doris Elizabeth (Steeves) and Robert Layton (Robert Edward John Layton), who was a Progressive Conservative MP from 1984 to 1993, as well as Minister of State for Mines, from 1984 to 1986. Jack was married to Sally Halford, and later to politician Olivia Chow.
Jack’s paternal grandparents were Gilbert Layton (the son of Philip Edward David Layton and Alice Marion Gilbert) and Norah Lestelle England (the daughter of Arthur John England and Florence Louise Grimmett). Jack’s grandfather Gilbert was a politician in Quebec. Jack’s great-grandfather Philip was born in Northamptonshire, England. Alice was also English.
Jack’s maternal grandparents were John Trites Rowe Steeves (the son of John Trites Steeves and Laura Rowe) and Constance Burgoyne Halpin (the daughter of Claude Stuart Burgoyne Halpin and Rosa Belle Powell). Jack’s great-grandfather John was a nephew of William Steeves, a Father of Canadian Confederation. Jack’s grandmother Constance was American, from Richmond, Virginia. Claude’s parents were Irish.
Source: Genealogy of Jack Layton – http://www.geni.com