YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Canada loses Jack

This year Canada lost one of its favourite sons. On August 22nd the Official Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton died at 61 years of age.

He had been battling prostate cancer for months, but had apparently gone into remission before the 2011 Federal election.

Fashioning a cane during the debates, Layton was seen as a feisty and inspirational leader to many. Being voted in the CBC election poll as most favourable leader to Canadians.

His beloved NDP was rewarded. They won the most seats in party history at 103. In Layton’s home province of Quebec the party earned an unprecedented 58 new Members of Parliament.

Following the election, Layton’s health took a turn for the worse. Looking extremely ill, in July, Layton announced that he would temporarily step down as party leader. But he never returned.

On his deathbed Layton wrote a letter addressed to Canadians which finished with these inspirational words:

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."