I woke up just in time to listen to the 7am CBC Radio news this morning… rolled over and turned it on, as I usually do each morning, and lay in shock listening to the lead story. It was like a punch in the gut. Looking at the “news feed” of my Facebook friends this morning, it seems I am not alone in that feeling.

I was able to hear Jack Layton speak once in person, when he came to speak at the University of Victoria in 2006. I have voted for him and his MPs in the last several elections.

He did a lot of good work for Canadian politics and it is a shame he will not be able to be around to reap the official opposition rewards of his work. He will be greatly missed.

UPDATE: Jack’s letter to Canadians.