On the anniversary of the death of James Laxer we share some remembrances and reflections on his remarkable life and legacy in Canadian socialism and political thought.
By Michael Laxer
A unique figure during these past few decades of Canadian politics, Jim always tried to fight for and suggest a path forward towards a fairer and more just Canada, an independent and socialist Canada, regardless of whose feathers this ruffled or whose feet he stepped on. Not one to shy away from what he believed, he provides a lesson to all of us on the left of how to stand up for what we think is right no matter the short term cost and irrespective of careerist goals.
That, as much as anything else, is a legacy worth embracing and one I hope is not soon forgotten.
An interview with Matt Fodor
In this wide-ranging interview, conducted in April 2014, James Laxer discusses his personal history and involvement in the NDP and the Waffle, the ideological trajectory of Canadian social democracy and the continuing relevance of a socialist vision for the future.
By Mel Watkins
Let me share with you how I came to know Jim Laxer almost 50 years ago, for he had a powerful effect that has never left me.
By Karl Nerenberg
From his public persona one could tell that James Laxer had a sharp intelligence, an unquenchable curiosity and a questing spirit. It is fitting that he was fulfilling his role as a public intellectual right up to the end of his life.
By Barry Weisleder & Bob Lyons
James Laxer will be remembered far longer and with much more fondness than most of his antagonists in the right wing of Canadian social democracy.
"I see socialism as the future, I think capitalism is a failed system and I see socialism in new forms being created for the future" - James Laxer