( DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo )MONTREAL—Five years on, what would Jack Layton make of the Canadian political landscape and the gloomy state of the party he led to unprecedented heights before his premature death? Layton would mostly be relieved that a contingent of 16 mostly solid Quebec MPs is left from the orange wave. Historically, the federal NDP has tended to fare best when the Liberals have been weak. But last fall, the party managed to achieve its second-best seat score ever in spite of the Liberal surge in support. Layton would probably find some solace in the notion that the progressive pool has expanded over the Harper decade in power.

Source: thestar August 20, 2016 09:00 UTC