JACK LAYTON was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada in January 2003. Since then, party membership has been expanding at an unprecedented rate. First elected to Toronto City Council in 1982, he has been an impassioned social advocate for three decades. As president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, he worked to put a new deal for cities and towns on the federal agenda. In 1991, he founded the Green Catalyst Group Inc., a sustainable policy and program design firm. He founded the White Ribbon Campaign, which has grown into an international movement to stop violence against women; and he established the first Health City program, which has been adopted by the World Health Organization and cities worldwide.

Born and raised in Quebec, Jack Layton graduated from McGill University and received his doctorate in political science from York University. Currently, he is adjunct professor at Innis College, University of Toronto. His first book, Homelessness: The Making and Unmaking of a Crisis, is a highly acclaimed landmark study. Jack Layton lives in Toronto with his wife, Olivia Chow, a Toronto city councillor.

"Canadian values have been ignored as [Harper`s] government abandoned so much that Canadians hold dear: our environmental commitments to the world and future generations, our role as purveyors of peace, our engagement on the global battle against poverty and AIDS, the emphasis on investments in child care, housing, and education essential for our future--forsaken for expedient tax cuts benefiting mostly those with the most and abandoning out obligations to the First Peoples of this land."

It`s time to put Canada back on track. In Speaking Out Louder. Jack Layton outlines a bold and visionary "blueprint for Canada" that will do just that. Fully revised and updated to include fascinating behind-the-scenes details of how Martin and his Liberals squandered their leadership opportunities and how dangerously off-course Harper is steering the nation--Speaking Out Louder is a passionate call to action that will inspire all Canadians to embrace a better future.