This made me sadder than I would have expected...



Activist Tooker Gomberg missing, presumed dead
BY SUSAN AITKEN
CANADIAN PRESS

HALIFAX — Tooker Gomberg — an environmental activist, failed Toronto mayoral candidate and high-profile thorn in the side of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein — was missing and presumed dead today.

Police said it appears Gomberg jumped off the middle of the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge just after midnight in the early hours Thursday morning.

I miss having Tooker Gomberg on Edmonton City Council. While he could say the odd ridiculous thing, and often seemed to take himself a tad too seriously, there was never any doubt that his heart was in the right place. Furthermore, he had the courage to actually be ridiculous, and wasn't afraid to wield the weapon of civil disobedience. He was a colourful presence on council, which has been, with some exceptions, a fairly bland lot since he left.

I'll be looking for (and, probably, commenting upon) the obituaries in the Canadian media. I think the temptation to be snide and gloating about this tragedy is going to be too hard for some of our fine conservative commentators to pass up.