In what has been a glorious summer's week in Montreal, it has been a tough week in the news.
What happened in Norway could happen anywhere. Theories float around about the why.
There are no explanations that sane and rational people can accept. You cannot explain what simply cannot be explained.
Every mass shooting has people giving their reasons for the horror. They blame society, they blame video games, and they blame anything.
We need to find reasons to make sense of awful reality. But what happened in the peaceful kingdom of Norway has happened elsewhere
It happened in Montreal more than once, in Columbine, in Beslan, Russia.
It happens everywhere. There is really no protection against violent deranged people on misguided missions of hate and destruction.
The people of Norway have handled this horrendous attack with courage and steadfastness.
This country of hardly 5 million is a place the world looks to and looks up to. A country of equality, and quality of life. The home of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Number one in the world on the United Nations Human Development index which measures Life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living.
The world will continue to look to Norway as a shining example of how to live.
This week the Norwegians are showing just that.
We wish you well, Jack
Jack Layton was singlehandedly responsible for a sea change in Canadian politics
The pictures we saw of him this week announcing his new fight with cancer were poignant.
He looked and sounded so frail. Such a cruel turn of events
We all wish him courage and a return to good health.
You may not agree with his politics. It doesn't matter.
But this is not about politics. He wanted to make a difference.
And right now, the most popular political figure in a generation has been sidelined.
You see the Orange Wave in Quebec was not an NDP wave. It was a Jack wave.
They elected 59 MPs here not because of anything they stand for or promises they made.
Ask people, they will tell you "j'ai vote pour Jack". So without him, the medium and long term future of the dippers is perilous. Quebecers are taking the NDP for a 4 year test drive.
And without him at the wheel, it promises to be a short ride. Because Layton is the NDP
He will be in our thoughts and prayers. Far from the public political arena to the privacy of his family and doctors in the fight of his life.
Good Luck Mr. Layton. Godspeed