We cats think it was Harry Truman who said, "The only thing new under the sun is the history you don't know."
In that spirit, we've discovered some new history ourselves: The first state funeral ever held in Canada was for Thomas D'Arcy McGee, a cabinet minister assassinated in 1868. (His eponymous Irish pub sits just a stone's throw from Parliament Hill in Ottawa today.)
On Saturday, Jack Layton will be honored with a state funeral of his own. In the meantime, Canadians have been paying tribute to the late NDP leader by laying flowers and — yes, that's right — cans and cartons of Orange Crush. (A reference to the orange-themed party's strong showing in this spring's election.) And they're filing past his casket as he lies in state in Parliament's Centre Block. So many people showed up this morning that authorities had to throw the doors open early. Catch the CBC live coverage here.
The thought of Canada without Jack Layton is depressing. We're tempted to drown our sorrows in Orange Crush — but we guess we'll have to settle for D'Arcy McGee's "2-Pint Friday" instead.
UPDATE: Jack Layton left Parliament Hill for the last time this afternoon — but before he did, the bells in the Peace Tower played "O Canada," "The Dominion March" and John Lennon's "Imagine." We cats couldn't help thinking that that last selection would never happen at a dignitary's funeral in the U.S.
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