Don’t forget that Mulcair as leader wasn’t a foregone conclusion. He did have some serious competition and might not have won the leadership race.

In any case, what Anders said was inexcusable. Crazy, really!

It was never a secret Mulcair had ambitions to eventually run the federal NDP. He is an ambitious man. Something that can be said about any politician to one degree or another.

Layton was suffering from an undisclosed cancer. That much was public prior to the election. Not sure of the actual timeline but it was around the time he went into hospital for surgery on his hip.
I don’t need to remind you cancer patients require many things to attempt to get well/put into remission/cure the body from cancer. Some of which is mental well being and exercising good health practices.

Having said that one must try to understand why the last election came about. A vote of non-confidence in the House. The reason for the vote is irrelevant but it is certain that it was not necessary at that time. The government was in a minority situation and a non-confidence vote could have happened at any time in the future over much more important reasons. What was never reported was the behind the scenes negotiations between the LPC and NDP over the necessity. I suspect, and this may have been what Anders was referring to, Mulcair was the diver behind the NDP supporting the non-confidence vote at that time.

The last thing Layton needed in his weakened condition was to fight a federal election. Arguably one of the worse things a cancer patient could get himself embroiled into. From both a mental well being and healthy practice point of view.

That begs the questions -
Did having to involve himself in a federal election at that particular time while suffering from cancer hasten his ultimate death? I can only conclude the answer is yes.
Did Mulcair lobby for the non-confidence vote over that specific issue knowing full well it would have an adverse effect upon Layton? I can only conclude no is the answer.
Did Mulcair’s ambition to show himself to the NDP caucus as a leader material push concern for Layton’s health to the back burner? That is entirely likely.