This space is generally reserved for comment on issues which relate directly to our city, but this week Yorkton This Week joins all Canadians in saying good bye to Jack Layton.
The federal New Democrat leader died Monday from cancer, cutting short a life which had been dedicated to making the Canadian political system work as effectively as it can.
Layton honed his political teeth at the municipal level in Toronto, a place where over his 17-years as a City Councillor he probably learned the most important thing about being a politician, the need to listen to the people represented.
While federal and provincial representatives are locally accessible, it is the municipal level where voters have the ability to most directly interact with the system. If a local voter has an issue with the City they can approach a Councillor on the street, or make a formal presentation to Council in Chambers, something simply not possible at the higher levels of government.
And Layton learned his lessons well, using the skills gained effectively when he moved up to become leader of the federal New Democrats in 2003.
The NDP had existed as a federal party for decades before Layton's arrival, but he was the leader which led the party to its greatest success to-date, achieving Official Opposition status in the recent federal election.
In Layton's first federal election the NDP managed only 20 seats, but in the ensuing years Layton worked tirelessly to build his party, and earlier this year voters responded to his effort electing 103 NDP MPs, the most-ever for the party.
Unfortunately for Canada Layton will not be in Parliament over the next term to lead the Opposition.
With his death at 61, Layton leaves a void atop the NDP, and this country has lost a politician who showed his first consideration was always this country, and its people.
Not everyone will agree with the ideology Layton, or his party followed, but no one can argue with his conviction and belief that the policies he put forward were done so with the best interests of Canadians the first consideration.
Even as Layton knew his days were short upon this earth he took the time to sit down and write a good bye to Canadians. It is not a letter of remorse, or of regret.
Instead Layton remained ever positive about this country, its people, and its future.
And therein lies Layton's legacy, that while this country is a great place, it can be so much more if we work collectively toward that goal.
And so as we say good bye to one of this country's most dedicated politicians let's hope we remember and heed some of his final words to those he has long-served; "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
"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."
