- John Gilbert (Jack) Layton was born July 18, 1950 in Montreal and raised in Hudson, Quebec. He comes from a family of politicians, including his father Robert Layton, a former MP and cabinet member.
- Jack Layton has two children, Sarah and Mike, with his first wife, Sally Halford. He has been married to fellow MP Olivia Chow since 1988.
- Jack Layton holds political science degrees from McGill University and York University, where he earned his PhD. He later became a professor at Ryerson University and founded Green Catalyst Group, Inc.
- Jack Layton's political career began when he was elected to the Toronto City Council in 1982.
- In January 2003, Jack Layton was elected as leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP). In 2004, he was elected to the House of Commons.
- Jack Layton has drawn considerable media attention for his ability to mobilize the party's left-wing base. He is particularly devoted to issues relating to transit and environmentalism, as seen in his recent Climate Change Accountability Act .
