Jack Layton was noticeably absent yesterday. His seat, number 164 on the House of Commons' seating plan, was left symbolically unoccupied when the chamber kicked off its fall session.
Monday morning, party leaders rose in a series of touching tributes that remembered and praised Layton as a devoted parliamentarian and cheerful individual. That afternoon, the seat was still empty when the NDP's interim leader Nycole Turmel asked her first question as leader of the official opposition.
Tuesday morning, a new seating plan confirmed Turmel will occupy Layton's seat while the NDP searches for a new leader. Vancouver East MP Libby Davies, another potential leadership contender, was given the nod to move up one row and sit on Turmel's left-hand side. Davies is a co-deputy party leader. The other co-deputy leader, Thomas Mulcair already had a seat in the front row to Turmel's right-hand side.
Read what you wish about their political leanings from that ...
The House of Commons' seating plan Monday, September 19.
The House of Commons' seating plan Tuesday, September 20.