Cancer takes Jack Layton at the age of 61
By Nelson Daily Staff
Opposition leader Jack Layton died Monday morning at his home.
The Layton family announced the sudden passing in a statement.
Layton had been battling cancer and recently stepped down as federal NDP leader. He, however, had hoped this would be a short time away from politics, optimistic to return when Parliament resumed next month.
“We deeply regret to inform you that the Honourable Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, passed away at 4:45 am today,” the statement said.
“He passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and loved ones.”
Layton was just 61 when he died by an unidentified but aggressive cancer that took hold this summer following a battle last year with the same disease in his prostate.
The latest diagnosis came in mid-July, barely a month after Layton and his wife Olivia Chow, a fellow NDP MP from Toronto, had made their historic move into Stornoway, the official Ottawa residence of the country’s Opposition leader.
— with files from Canadian Press
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