RIP Jack Layton

Can't tell you how shocked I was when this was announced this morning. To me, he WAS the NDP.

 

And he still is. Awful news for the country. I think this was in the back of my mind when he said he had to leave but to die so soon after is still a huge shock.

About the only good thing about this for the NDP is that they have a while before the next election. They have time to find a new leader and let that person gain some political momentum.

What a sad day.

 

And he left this for us: http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/01310/Jack_Layton_s_lett_1310744a.pdf

 

He never gave up his ideals about making this a better country for all Canadians. Even people who disagreed with Jack's philosophy of social democracy had to admire his honest, decency and integrity.

Here's the letter he wrote the day before he died: to his party, to his caucus, to cancer sufferers and to all Canadians.

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/01310/Jack_Layton_s_lett_1310744a.pdf

RIP, Jack.

 

Wow, that's a coincidence!

 

Great minds and all that

 

He's one who got into politics for the right reasons. He wanted to help. Just a class guy. Great integrity and passion. He will be missed.

 

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Powerful.

 

Call him what you will, but a champion for the poor and marginalized who will be missed.

 

What happens with the NDP? I assume the current interim leader won't stand a chance at being chosen as the permanent leader.

 

Although she was never meant to. Accepting the tag of interim leader generally comes with a tacit acceptance that you won't run for the main job.

 

I saw some video of his announcement of the second cancer, and whatever it was, it must have been bad - in a matter of weeks, he looked very drawn and his voice was noticeably thinner.