AP
NDP Leader Jack Layton's death early Monday morning sent shockwaves through Canada's political community. Layton's passing from cancer, so soon after he led the New Democrats to a historic placing in the election that made the party Official Opposition for the first time, leaves a vacuum in Ottawa and in Canadian society that will likely take some time to fill.
Social media exploded with expressions of condolences and musings on Layton's passing. Here are some of the thoughts being passed around on Twitter: