Huffington Post Canada's 2011 Story of the Year

The Huffington Post:

The late NDP leader not only fought an election campaign on the heels of a hip replacement surgery and treatment for prostate cancer but delivered an ‘orange wave’ no one predicted.

The party’s huge breakthrough in Quebec, 59 MPs, crushed the Bloc Quebecois down to four seats and handed Layton the title of ‘Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.’

Under Layton’s leadership, the NDP became a better-articulated and pragmatic opposition. Its support grew steadily.

In 2004, Layton’s first election, he nearly doubled the party’s support by taking 15.7 per cent of the vote, bringing six more MPs to Parliament Hill for a total of 19. In 2006, the NDP won 29 seats and in 2008, 37 seats. This spring, the party won a whopping 103 seats with 30.6 per cent of votes cast.

Continue reading here.