Article content

Jack Layton’s widow, NDP MP Olivia Chow, says she has accepted the apology of outspoken Conservative backbencher Rob Anders for suggesting Thomas Mulcair hastened her husband’s death by forcing him into an election despite his poor health.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Olivia Chow accepts Anders' apology — but says to cut the conspiracy theory about Layton's death Back to video

“I appreciate Mr. Anders’ concern of Jack’s health and his death. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to make Jack live longer. So to all conspiracy theorists, cancer is unpredictable, is vicious and it kills,” she said in a statement on Parliament Hill. “Like all the other NDP members of parliament, Tom Mulcair loved Jack.”

Anders, who was already considered isolated from leadership in his party, received a quick rebuke Monday morning from the Prime Minister’s Office and may face further discipline after his interview with political website iPolitics.

“I actually think one of the great stories that was missed by journalists was that Mr. Mulcair, with his arm twisted behind the scenes, helped to hasten Jack Layton’s death,” Anders told iPolitics’ Laura Stone.

“It was very clear to me watching the two of those gentlemen in the front benches, that Jack Layton was ill and that Mr. Mulcair was making it quite obvious that if Jack wasn’t well enough to fight the campaign and fight the election that he should step aside.”

Chow told reporters Anders did not personally contact her to apologize and said it was up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper as to whether to keep him in caucus.

“He may not be able to reach me, so I’ll go over and say hi to him,” Chow told reporter before entering the House of Commons for question period.

However, Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer – winner of “Most Fun MP to work for” and “Most Collegial” awards from the Hill Times and Maclean’s, respectively — was hardly as diplomatic, calling Anders a “complete dickhead” and for Harper to boot him from caucus.

Anders, who is sitting in one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, issued a terse apology as the Twitterverse began questioning how long Stephen Harper would tolerate a maverick MP with a history of embarrassing his party.

“My comments in iPolitics with respect to Mr. Mulcair and Mr. Layton were insensitive and inconsiderate. I apologize to Mr. Mulcair and to Mr. Layton’s family,” Anders said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/jonkay/status/252755225717379073

https://twitter.com/dgardner/status/252762960739577856