Vigils across Canada celebrate the life of NDP leader Jack Layton

News of NDP leader Jack Layton's death Monday hit many Canadians hard.

Layton's touching final letter to Canadians went viral quickly, with his closing paragraph quoted again and again on blogs, Facebook walls and Twitter.

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

Impromptu vigils popped up across the country, with thousands gathering in honour of the much-loved political hero.

In Toronto, hundreds gathered at city hall. New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns, councillors Janet Davis and Pam McConnell and others read Layton's farewell letter to Canadians at the social-media-organized event.

Mourners lined up to sign tribute posters and a commemorative book. Some left words of support in chalk on city hall's exterior walls. Others left flowers and notes of condolence on the front steps of Layton's home.

Last night in Ottawa, hundreds more gathered on Parliament Hill for a candlelight vigil. Cans of Orange Crush sat among the flowers left in his honour.

In Montreal, a spontaneous Facebook-organized candlelight vigil was held at the foot of Mount Royal, where "people sang songs and talked about their favourite memories of the man known here as Le Bon Jack," the CBC reported.

In Edmonton, the Alberta NDP plan a candlelight vigil on Wednesday night on the legislature steps. There, Linda Duncan, Alberta's only NDP MP, and Alberta NDP party leader Brian Mason will speak.

More than a thousand mourners, many wearing orange ribbons, gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Monday night. The Vancouver Sun reported the crowd reflected the people Layton represented.

"Layton said he stood for families and the vigil was a family affair as several people came with their children."

A state funeral — usually reserved for prime ministers and governor generals — will be held on Saturday in Toronto.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered Layton's wife, Olivia Chow, the option of a state funeral, saying Layton would be remembered "for the force of his personality and his dedication to public life."

Books of condolences are available to sign in most major Canadian cities.

For those who wish to donate in Layton's memory, the NDP released the following statement:

"Jack Layton's family has asked that in lieu of flowers, and to continue the work of making Canada a better place, donations be made to the Broadbent Institute, in memoriam. Canadians can also go to www.ndp.ca and click on Express your Condolences to leave a message about Jack Layton and what he meant to them."

(Reuters Photo)