Here's the CN Tower all lit up in orange last night in tribute to Jack Layton. I listened to his state funeral on the radio and was very moved. From Stephen Lewis's powerful and touching eulogy calling Layton's letter to Canadians a "manifesto for social democracy" (which caused a huge round of extended applause and a standing ovation that even Stephen Harper had to participate in), to Steven Page singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", to Lorraine Segato's rousing "Rise Up", it was a very beautiful and fitting tribute. As were all the amazing messages chalked on the sidewalks, up the sides of the ramps and on all conceivable surfaces in front of City Hall.
I spent part of this weekend just walking around this great city feeling very grateful to live here. Lots of people were wearing bits of orange in remembrance of Jack. I don't actually have any orange clothing but I did have a ball of orange wool, so having already started the beekeeper's quilt, I decided to just knit orange hexagons while listening to the funeral. It is a great, happy, hopeful and optimistic colour.
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