Layton Takes Leave of Absence over 'New' Cancer

The Leader of the Opposition says he's confident he'll be leading the NDP once again when Parliament resumes this fall.

NDP Leader Jack Layton held an impromptu news conference in Toronto to announce that he's taking a temporary leave of absence from the helm of the party to focus on treatment for a new case of cancer after battling prostate cancer for more than a year. Looking thinner and sounding noticeably more raspy than just short months ago, Layton said he fully expects to resume his duties once Parliament is sitting in September. In the meantime, though, he recommended that Nycole Turmel, a Gatineau, Que.,-area MP, should take up the interim leadership. The NDP's executive council will convene to decide on a leader shortly while Layton rests. Layton was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in February 2010, but held on as leader, eventually steering the party to its best ever electoral showing on the May 2nd election.