Jack Layton is dead.

[President Television]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/08/22/layton-obituary.html?ref=rss

Well then. Now that the only leftist politician with the balls to stand up to Harper is dead and his replacement is being subjected to a largely-successful smear campaign, we're pretty much in the same boat as America, aren't we?

[Doktor Howl]

Layton?  He wasn't even all that old.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Layton?  He wasn't even all that old.

Cancer got him.

[Doktor Howl]

Layton?  He wasn't even all that old.

Cancer got him.

Cramulus warned us about the incidious danger of cancer babies, but would the Canadians listen?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Layton?  He wasn't even all that old.

Cancer got him.

Cramulus warned us about the incidious danger of cancer babies, but would the Canadians listen?

Those fuckers are VORACIOUS.

[Hoser McRhizzy]

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.

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.

http://www.ndp.ca/letter-to-canadians-from-jack-layton

RIP, ye Great and Powerful Mustachio!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/08/22/layton-obituary.html?ref=rss

Well then. Now that the only leftist politician with the balls to stand up to Harper is dead and his replacement is being subjected to a largely-successful smear campaign, we're pretty much in the same boat as America, aren't we?

Even though I know you're trolling.  Damnnabbit.  I just can't not bite.  What's up with that 

There're plenty of people with "the balls to stand up to Harper."  First and foremost, Olivia Chow, but there's also great beastly unwashed socialist hordes just stamping at the ground ready to shoulder in.  Get cher popcorn!  S'gonna be HAWSUM!

I hadn't noticed a smear campaign against what's her chops who's been appointed interrum leader.  I assumed there'd be some nasty digging about to find whether she said a dirty word in grade 9, gave money to the wrong NGO or had any embarrassing party pics on facebook and from what you wrote, I'm guessing that's what's going on.  Plus ca change.  How do we decide if/when a smear campaign's been successful, though?  I don't even know her name without checking, much (much) less what the professional poli-bloggers, retweeters and whatnot have decided her faults are in the past week. 

I've been really distracted, honestly.  Thinking about all the cool kids I want to run for mayor someday - or whatever the equivalent of 'mayor' will be come 2040.  Drinking cans of spiked orange crush with my fellow filthy hippies in front of Olivia's office in Kensington market.  My partner's gone and lined up with the other couple hundred people downtown to talk at the dead man in the box.  I saw a bunch of orange posters in windows with that last bit "love is better than anger, etc" on my way home.

The folks who will try to turn this into a political opportunity to damage Harper's opposition are nothing but boring and classless.  You can't bring down people who are the SPAWN OF MOTHERFUCKING TOMMY DOUGLAS and MADE CANADA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM! 

What's a 'largely successful smear campaign'?  Got some airtime on cbc?  Are they filling up with comment sections?  500 likes?  Is she on her second husband?  Was she once a liberal supporter?  :all iz lost!!!:

Of course, you're probably right and the headline on Monday morning will read that while a great chunk of Canada was mourning, the mass media amplification machine got Ms What'sHerFace jailed for spitting or inhaling.  That's why it's called polololotics!

tl;dr - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGu682FUDsQ