By now you've heard the news. By now you've seen the outpouring of love an support. By now you've seen the old high school photos. By now you've seen the evolution of his mustache over the years. By now you've read about his Hudson, QC origins. And by now, you've read his incredibly powerful goodbye letter, written just days before he passed.

After 20 years in Toronto city council, and a near decade of leading the New Democratic Party of Canada, Jack Layton had achieved something most people had deemed impossible in winning the hearts of Quebeckers. And the hardest part is that we knew his best was still to come.

In no way does this article represent Midnight Poutine's or my own political views. Rather it's a post written to show that even though I never voted for the NDP, I have always been a supporter of Jack Layton, our country's last likeable politician.

'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.'

Goodbye Jack. We were lucky to have you.

Links:
Jack's farewell letter
Letter from Karel Mayrand, Director of the David Suzuki Foundation of Quebec
The Gazette's take on Jack's Quebec connection
Jack on Tout le monde en parle last April:

*Photo courtesy of Canada's NDP