Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democratic Party, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Treatment for his condition has already begun, and he will stay on as leader.

Layton, 59, made a public announcement in his long-time riding of Toronto-Danforth on Friday.

Prostate cancer hits men of all political affiliations, and we wish Layton a success treatment period and full recovery. During the last decade, former Reform Party leader Preston Manning and former federal Health Minister Allan Rock retired from public life as they battled the same disease.

Official NDP website