Canadians loss is their governments gain......how sad!

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Today Canada lost the leadership of the one and only truly honest and visionary politician it has ever had. Jack Layton of the National Democratic Party (NDP) lost his battle with a new cancer that was only diagnosed a few weeks ago. In May of this year the leader of the Liberal Party called a no confidence vote on our Conservative Party Prime Minister's government and an unnecessary election ensued. Trust Jack not to complain, but rather to take the bull by the horns and in spite of just beating prostrate cancer, traveled this country from end to end, resulting in his party's historical capturing of enough electorates to form the first true majority NDP opposition this country has ever seen. The Conservatives squeaked back into power, but the country had shown it's disgust with the Liberals and new found belief in the NDP. Jack was rightly optimistic that the NDP would be the country's leaders within 4 years. Sadly, I don't believe that will happen now, which means that the Conservatives could be around for a long time tearing this country apart. Jack Layton was a very special man. He truly cared about each and every Canadian. Over the years I have sent him many emails on various subjects and concerns. He responded to every one personally and in good time, even the ones that were not specifically political. One particular night just before the recent May election, we corresponded by email regarding the turning away of my son from a hospital where he had been seeking the advice of a doctor, when he thought his cancer had returned. There was a glitch in the system which wouldn't accept his OHIP (provincial health card) and he was refused a consultation. I knew Jack had just finished treatment for his own prostrate cancer and so I wrote to him. At 11pm that night he got on the phone to the hospital that had turned my son away and told them in no uncertain terms that my son would back in the morning and that he'd better get in to see a doctor. The next morning he called the OHIP offices himself and had the glitch straightened out and my son received his consultation. Just after the May election, I wrote again to Jack about the abuses in the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan where my husband works. This time I didn't receive a response, but my own life was so full of family emergencies and such, that frankly I quite forgot. Several weeks ago, at 8am my time the phone rang. It was the House of Commons in Ottawa.......the seat of our federal government. It wasn't Jack, but his deputy leader calling. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Jack was again facing a battle with cancer and was in the process of turning his leadership over to his deputy. The gentleman I spoke to that morning assured me that Jack had seen my email, was very concerned about the issues I had raised and had instructed his deputy to phone personally to assure me that the very issues I had raised in my email would be part of the legislation that the NDP would be tabling in the House in the Fall, and to ask me, if needed, would I consent to address the House of Commons myself, live and in person. I was gobsmacked. For a private individual in our political system to be asked to address the House of Commons, is not just an honor, it's almost unheard of. But that's how Jack rolled. He believed in his responsibilities, and he believed that he represented the PEOPLE not just a party and if he could involve the people in living up to his campaign promises and political responsibilities, he took every opportunity to do so. Jack had faith in my ability to articulate and I had faith his aides would keep me from fainting dead away should my presence in the House be required. I am devastated not only for myself at the loss of what I had come to consider a friend, but also for my country which has lost it's best and brightest hope for our country to establish not only it's place on the global stage, but to finally and at last have a leader that doesn't lie, play political self-serving games, and who truly concerns himself with the issues that affect the working class of this country. Despite their platitudinal condolences, I'm sure the Conservatives are dancing behind closed doors at Jack's passing. I however am actually in tears at the loss of a great politician and a true Canadian. JFK aside, when was the last time you cried at the passing of a politician?