Jack Layton dead at 61

[hawkeye59]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/jack-layton-dead-at-61/article2137070/
RIP

[Phony Moderate]

Very sad news.

RIP Jack Layton.

[Vosem]

I may have disagreed with his ideas, but I always had a level of respect for the man. RIP, Jack Layton.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

A brilliant tactician as we saw this year, and a genuinely decent man (and I welcome any leader with a mustache).

RIP.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Good God, I knew he was in bad health but I had no idea it was this bad. Very sad news.

RIP

 

[The Mikado]

The world has one less manly mustache.  RIP.

[You kip if you want to...]

Horrific news. He was a great man.

RIP

[Tender Branson]

Wow, that is really really bad news. I didn't even know he was sick. Didn't he just recently contest very well in a Canadian election ?

RIP ...

[You kip if you want to...]

Didn't he just recently contest very well in a Canadian election ?

Yup, hit an all time high for his party and took over as Canada's Official Opposition. A great achievement for his final few months and one which he'll be remembered for.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Terrible news (and very sad) but not unexpected; for those that know what to look for he looked seriously ill during the campaign, to say nothing of the last press conference. RIP to the NDP leader that finally did it.

[Foucaulf]

I guess I'm the first Canadian to comment. I am close to tears. Was it really that long ago that he was jeered as "Taliban Jack", leader of a minor party too independent for its own good?

Rest in peace, as a politician like him deserves.

EDIT: The National Post has a comprehensive article on Jack's life - those unfamiliar with him should take a read.

[Serenity Now]

Very sad, from what I know about Canadian politics he seemed like a good guy.

RIP Jack Layton

[Meeker]

What awful, awful news.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I wasn't Mr. Layton's fan (except of his staches), but sad news indeed. RIP.

[Joe Republic]

That's horrible.  At least he ended on a high, even if he only got to enjoy it for a few short months.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Good God, I knew he was in bad health but I had no idea it was this bad. Very sad news.

RIP

 

He was just diagnosed with another form of cancer in July (I was unaware of this), and didn't even make it a month after that.

That's very sad news - he was truly an inspirational man during the 2010 elections, and this is a  big loss for the NDP and Canadian politics as a whole.  My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.  May he rest in peace.

[Franzl]

Good God, I knew he was in bad health but I had no idea it was this bad. Very sad news.

RIP

 

^^^^,

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

RIP, FF

[Keystone Phil]

Horrible. May he rest in peace.

[Username MechaRFK]

F**k, this is sad.  Layton did great job of handling the party to becoming the party with the second largest votes in this year election. And great man that comes along with his help to the NDP.


R.I.P to who I wanted as Canada prime minster.

[Jens]

Very sad news. I was really hoping that the man with the coolest mustache would become the next Canadian PM.
A great loss for Canada and for any pracmatic leftwinger across the world.

[Username MechaRFK]

I'm growing the Jack Layton mustache in honor of this superman.

[bullmoose88]

Terrible news (and very sad) but not unexpected; for those that know what to look for he looked seriously ill during the campaign, to say nothing of the last press conference. RIP to the NDP leader that finally did it.

Yes.  Cancer is a terrible (terrible being a poor word but the only one I can think to use) disease.

A real shame.  RIP.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wow that is beyond terrible. He was one of my favorite politicians in the Western Hemisphere. RIP indeed.

[ilikeverin]

Horrid, horrid   RIP.