Photo: thestar.com.

We Canadians are heavy-hearted the day after Jack Layton’s passing at age 61. So much has been written about the infectious spirit, spunk and political prowess of Layton, but one of the best pieces I’ve read about him headlines the front page of The Toronto Star today.The focus is not on Jack the politician, but Jack the devoted husband, madly in love with his wife, lover and political partner of 22 years Olivia Chow. The pair met while working at Toronto’s City hall in 1985 and were married in 1988. Chow and Layton were a dynamic duo, always together at work and in play and their passion, love and adoration for one another has been ever-present. As Star writer Linda Diebel says in her feature today about Jack and Olivia, “Theirs is a love story for the ages.” Read Diebel’s piece and have a Kleenex at the ready.