(no subject)
Oh no. I woke up to the terrible news this morning that Jack Layton, the leader of the opposition, died of cancer overnight. I knew he'd taken a leave of absence about a month ago to focus on treatment, and he wasn't looking good then, but I was hoping he'd be back. I liked him! And I'm worried about the fate of his party without him. Last May, he led the NDP to becoming the official opposition for the first time, but with an inexperienced caucus. The interim leader of the party has a history with the Parti Québecois, so not exactly solid federalist credentials. I hope the next five years of (sigh) Conservative majority government will give the NDP time to solidify Layton's legacy so that it doesn't all slide away in the next election.
Sigh. I think this means that the entire Canadian left at the federal level is in total disarray. Of the three (two? Does the Bloc Québecois even count as a party now?) federal parties on the left, none have official leaders right now, and it's difficult to see if there are even going to be promising new candidates. Again, there are five years of Conservative majority government to work things out, but still.
This doesn't make me want to move home and go into politics or anything at all, of course.
Sigh. I think this means that the entire Canadian left at the federal level is in total disarray. Of the three (two? Does the Bloc Québecois even count as a party now?) federal parties on the left, none have official leaders right now, and it's difficult to see if there are even going to be promising new candidates. Again, there are five years of Conservative majority government to work things out, but still.
This doesn't make me want to move home and go into politics or anything at all, of course.