Jack Layton dies at 61

[burn_this_city]

Pete thinks class comes from a starched shirt and tailored suits.

[Hockey_Ninja]

R.I.P. Big loss to this country

[MelBridgeman]

This isn't really a suprise - He did not look well at his presser in July.

RIP Jack - far too young to leave us.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think 2/3 people on this forum will probably end up dying of cancer. It's not uncommon.

While it's reality, I'm hoping most people die of a problem with their ticker or something else over the slow starvation common in many cancers (that they'll die of something else instead of letting cancer being the driving force).

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by peter12

Things will go on, his family will grieve (as they should), and hopefully, the crocodile tear-filled tributes will dry up.

It is amazing how you go silent for awhile and everybody forgets about you but then you will find something that gives you a chance to remind the board what a classless a-hole you really are!

[North East Goon]

Jack used to annoy me to no end, but I do feel sadness towards the hearing of his passing today. He did a hell of a lot more than I have done to make this a better country to live in.

[saskflames69]

RIP to a man with a clear vision for Canada.
If you want a little laugh, check out the url of this yahoo article:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/pm-regrets-never-jamming-layton-183609347.html

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think 2/3 people on this forum will probably end up dying of cancer. It's not uncommon.

2/3 is a bit high unless life expectancies dramatically increase (which is possible); right now it's about 30% and age-adjusted incidence rates are generally stable or decreasing for most cancers. Since cancer is strongly associated with age I can see it increasing above 30% in the medium-term but it would take major increases in life expectancy and reductions in other causes of death, combined with poor progress in treating cancer, to bring it close to 2/3.

[Red Ice Player]

I for one will miss Jack. I despised his politics and didn't like how he pandered to Quebec by trashing Alberta. Then again, that's what you do if you're a leftist politician in Canada, and he did it better than anybody else in his position. Having lost close family members to this horrible disease and remembering the powerlessness the rest of the family feels, I can't help but feel empathy for his family, who saw this vigourous, vital man deteriorate before their very eyes. My fondest memory of Jack was that episode of Rick Murcer when they went skinny dipping. Hilarious! RIP Jack Layton.

[Canuck-Hater]

RIP Jack Layton, you were a true Canadian hero. As an NDP supporter myself this is very sad news, its going to be difficult to replace such a charismatic leader like Jack.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by peter12

Jeezus, the death of any public figure always results in the bursting of the flood-gates of insincerity.

WTH man. It's like you think sincerity and cynicism are the same. There's nothing wrong with the mourning of a public figure. No, I don't agree with Jack's politics, but I understand his battle with cancer, since my dad suffered the same fate. I understand the hurt and pain it causes family and friends, and feel truly and SINCERELY sorry for them. And it wasn't like he was some evil tyrant that should be despised. He was a man who had a battle with cancer and lost.

Insincerity my ass.

[HOZ]

My heart goes out to his family. Terrible to lose a father!

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Don't worry, you'll be the only one mourning Ezra Levant.

At least something positive can emerge from this thread.

[Codes]

I had no real personal connection to him, but I am saddened by his passing. He loved Canada, and wanted the best for her citizens.

RIP, Jack!

[Mazrim]

Nothing but class from an editor of the Calgary Sun. We expect nothing less!

@TSHowell Trevor Scott Howell


Oh, look. A screen shot of Calgary Sun city editor Dave Naylor's classless comment (and now deleted) abt Jack #Layton pic.twitter.com/ZG8OBj4

[WhiteTiger]

It's always a shame to hear about cancer getting another person. =/

[Daradon]

Like a few here I could tell he was just putting on a brave face at the conference and probably did not have much time. Still it's surprising and sad news to hear today.

Happy he was able to see the NDP achieve a high level of success before he passed.

[Hack&Lube]

Jack Layton was a dedicated public servant from when he was a young man with a long lineage in his family of public service and he always fought hard for the left as a member of Toronto City Hall. He truly believed in his causes and most of them were great causes that I believe Canada will eventually evolve toward but our economy and society are not ready for them yet.

I'm extremely sad that Jack died, any death is moving to me and it causes me to re-examine my own mortality. It was obvious from the press conference that he was a dead man walking and I actually expected this sooner and I felt extremely sorry for him, his family, his party, all those who voted NDP, and for Canadians in general. Regardless, I still can't get the image of him pushing the woman out of the camera so he could more prominently get on national TV in a disingenuous celebration during the Olympics hockey final. That singular moment cemented certain thoughts about Jack Layton's own personality in my mind and cause me to wince when people say things like: "Bon Jack was the only honest politician". He was a great politician but there's no such thing as an honest politician.

[NuclearFart]

Is this facebook "porch lights on for Jack Layton" movement (5000+) a big sarcastic joke? How does wasting power remember/honor a man who defined part of himself with environmental initiatives?

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

Is this facebook "porch lights on for Jack Layton" movement (5000+) a big sarcastic joke? How does wasting power remember/honor a man who defined part of himself with environmental initiatives?

People are dumb. Well intentioned, but dumb. (See Earth Hour or Live 8 - Private Jets for Climate Change)