greek_amazon

You know, whenever I'd watched movies where a politician dies and people start crying, I never really understood. I do now, because today Jack Layton died of cancer, and I am crying.
For those of you who don't know who Jack was, he was the leader of the NDP, Canada's official opposition.
He was a tremendous leader - he took the NDP, a party that was considered by many as not being a 'real party' and made it Canada's official opposition. He championed many causes, including the war on poverty, gay rights, women's rights and countless other social causes. He was intelligent, charismatic, friendly and compassionate.
He was a good man, and good politician.
He stood for so many things that I believe in, and he believed in his fellow human. He believed the future could be, would be better. He encouraged Canadians to work for that better future in his very last words to the Canadian people, released posthumously. I can only hope that we will rise to that call.
Goodbye, Jack.