Editing Jack Layton (section)

==Illness and death==
{{main|Death and state funeral of Jack Layton}}
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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.

All my very best,

Jack Layton
| source = Final line of Layton's letter to Canadians<ref name="Letter">{{citation|last=Layton|first=Jack|date=August 20, 2011|title=Letter to Canadians From Jack Layton|url=http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/238187-letter-to-canadians-from-jack-layton.html|access-date=August 22, 2011}}</ref>
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[[File:Jack Layton memorial in Nathan Phillips Square (1).jpg|thumb|left|An impromptu memorial set up at [[Nathan Phillips Square]] shortly after his death]] 
On February 5, 2010, Layton announced that he had been diagnosed with [[prostate cancer]]. He noted that his father [[Robert Layton (politician)|Robert Layton]] had the same type of cancer 17 years before and recovered from it. His wife, [[Olivia Chow]], had [[thyroid cancer]] a few years before. He vowed to beat the cancer, and said it would not interrupt his duties as member of Parliament or as leader of the NDP.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=New Democratic Party|url=https://www.ndp.ca/press/statement-by-jack-layton-delivered-to-media-today|title=Statement by Jack Layton, delivered to the media today|date=February 5, 2010|access-date=July 28, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803221039/http://www.ndp.ca/press/statement-by-jack-layton-delivered-to-media-today|archive-date=August 3, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Layton won't attend NDP summer caucus retreat|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/layton-won-t-attend-ndp-summer-caucus-retreat-1.684891|work=CTV News|access-date=August 24, 2011|date=August 17, 2011}}</ref>

Following the 2011 federal election, Layton led the party into the first month of the new session of Parliament, as well as attending the NDP Federal Convention in [[Vancouver]]. After Parliament rose for the summer, Layton announced on July 25, 2011, that he would be taking a temporary leave from his post to fight an unspecified, newly diagnosed cancer. He was hoping to return as leader of the NDP upon the resumption of the House of Commons on September 19, 2011. Layton recommended that NDP caucus chair [[Nycole Turmel]] serve as interim leader during his leave of absence.<ref name="leaderpick">{{cite news|last=LeBlanc |first=Daniel |title=Layton picks Nycole Turmel as interim leader |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=July 25, 2011 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/layton-recommends-nycole-turmel-as-interim-leader/article4181948/ |access-date=July 25, 2011 |location=Toronto}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Layton died at 4:45&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]] on August 22, 2011, at his home in [[Toronto]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/jack-layton-canada-opposition-leader-dies-after-second-cancer-battle/2011/08/22/gIQAxjUIWJ_blog.html |title=Jack Layton, Canada opposition leader, dies after second cancer battle |access-date=March 13, 2014|last=Flock |first=Elizabeth|date=August 22, 2011|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Reaction to Jack Layton's death|url=http://livenews.thestar.com/Event/Jack_Layton_dead_at_61|access-date=August 22, 2011|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=August 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/08/22/jack-layton-dead-ndp-lead-cancer_n_932853.html|title=Jack Layton Dead: NDP Leader, 61, Succumbs To Cancer|access-date=August 22, 2011|last=Ward|first=John|author2=The Canadian Press|date=August 22, 2011|work=The Huffington Post|archive-date=September 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922104756/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/08/22/jack-layton-dead-ndp-lead-cancer_n_932853.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was 61 years old.
[[File:Jack Layton leaves parliament.jpg|thumb|Layton's coffin being taken from [[Parliament Hill]] after lying in state in Ottawa]]
Upon hearing the news, there was a nationwide outpouring of grief,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jack-layton-s-son-says-public-support-buoyed-family-1.1014675|work=[[CBC News]]|title=Jack Layton's son says public support buoyed family|date=August 30, 2011}}</ref> and Governor General [[David Johnston (governor general)|David Johnston]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14202|last=Office of the Governor General of Canada|title=Death of the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition|date=August 22, 2011|publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada|access-date=August 25, 2011}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], NDP deputy leader [[Libby Davies]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Reaction to Jack Layton's death: 'Canadian hearts are breaking'|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1043048--reaction-to-jack-layton-s-death-canadian-hearts-are-breaking|access-date=August 22, 2011|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=August 22, 2011}}</ref> and the [[United States Ambassador to Canada|US ambassador to Canada]], [[David Jacobson (diplomat)|David Jacobson]] issued statements praising Layton and mourning his loss.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Meagan|title=Canada mourns 'courageous' Jack Layton|url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.982554|access-date=August 22, 2011|newspaper=[[CBC News]]|date=August 22, 2011}}</ref> Layton's family released an open letter, written by Layton two days before his death. In it, he expressed his wishes regarding the NDP's leadership in the event of his death, and addressed various segments of the Canadian population.<ref name="Letter"/>

Layton was accorded a [[State funerals in Canada|state funeral]], which took place between August 25 and 27, 2011, with the final memorial service at [[Roy Thomson Hall]] in Toronto.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/state-funeral-for-jack-layton-to-be-held-saturday-in-toronto/article616806/ |title=State funeral for Jack Layton to be held Saturday in Toronto |date=August 22, 2011|access-date=March 13, 2014|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|last=Taber|first=Jane|location=Toronto}}</ref> Layton was the second leader of the Official Opposition to die while in office; the first, Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]], had been a former prime minister, and had been given a state funeral under the protocol for prime ministers. Layton was the first Official Opposition leader to die for whom a state funeral would not otherwise have been afforded, but Prime Minister Harper made the offer to Layton's widow who accepted.<ref>{{Cite news|title=State funeral for late NDP leader Jack Layton cost $368,326: document|language=en-CA|work=nationalpost|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/state-funeral-for-late-ndp-leader-jack-layton-cost-368326-document|access-date=December 1, 2021}}</ref> Layton's body was cremated following the funeral.<ref>{{cite news|author=James Bradshaw and Jane Taber|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/preparing-a-heartfelt-farewell-for-jack-layton/article2139612/|title=Preparing a heartfelt farewell for Jack Layton|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=August 23, 2011|access-date=August 28, 2011|location=Toronto}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Jane Taber|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/jack-laytons-final-resting-places-revealed/article2143821/|title=Jack Layton's final resting place(s) revealed|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=August 26, 2011|access-date=August 28, 2011|location=Toronto}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jack Layton's last ride from Toronto City Hall|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310861|work=Digital Journal|access-date=September 2, 2011|date=August 27, 2011}}</ref> A portion of his ashes was scattered under a [[jack pine]] planted on [[Toronto Islands|Toronto Island]] in his honour,<ref>{{cite news |author=Mitchel Raphael |title=Some of Jack Layton's ashes sprinkled on Toronto Island |url=http://www.macleans.ca/2012/07/17/some-of-jack-laytons-ashes-sprinkled-on-toronto-island/ |work=Maclean's |location=Canada |date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=December 9, 2013}}</ref> with a second portion scattered at the Layton family's plot at Cote St. Charles United Church in [[Hudson, Quebec]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Jane Taber |title=Jack Layton's ashes scattered in hometown of Hudson, Que. |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/jack-laytons-ashes-scattered-in-hometown-of-hudson-que/article617914/ |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto |date=October 3, 2011 |access-date=December 9, 2013}}</ref> A third portion was scattered under a memorial sculpted by Chow, placed at the [[Toronto Necropolis]] Cemetery on the first anniversary of his death.<ref>{{cite news |title=Headstone for Jack Layton unveiled |url=http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/headstone-for-jack-layton-unveiled-1.923904 |work=CTV Toronto|date=August 21, 2012 |access-date=December 9, 2013}}</ref>