RIP Jack Layton

Jack Layton passed away this morning, and left us this letter as an epitaph.  I have both agreed with Layton and disagreed with him.  During the last parliament, while I agreed with Layton on many issues, I took great exception at his routine willingness to slag the Liberals instead of focusing his wrath on the Conservatives.

That said, he was probably one of the most positive forces in Canada's political narrative in the last decade or so and will be missed.

I'm disappointed by the self-serving stupidity out of Lifesite News in response to Layton's passing:

While Layton was one of Canada’s leading politicians pushing a radical leftist social agenda that included abortion and homosexuality, the pro-life movement responded to the announcement of his battle with cancer with a call to prayer.  At his death, Jim Hughes National President of Campaign Life Coalition expressed sorrow and offered the prayer: “May God have mercy on his soul.”

As if a "call to prayer" is some kind of "favour", especially in light of Layton's stated political positions.  The arrogance of the tone of this statement is appalling.   Hughes' comment is typical of the religious extremism that has lost sight of the gospel of love and has taken up the mantle of delivering judgement instead.