TORONTO (NEWS1130) - Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton is dismissing a media report that he was found in a provincially licensed Toronto massage parlour back in 1996. He says there was no wrong-doing and this is nothing but a "smear campaign."
Ontario Provincial Police have launched a criminal investigation into the incident.
At the time, the police officer called in to investigate claims that when he entered the parlour a man was found naked on a table. The officer tells Sun TV that Layton was surprised to find that illegal acts were taking place at the facility.
"It's unfortunate to see the smear campaign in these last few days of the campaign. Absolutely nothing wrong was done," says Layton.
"There is no wrong-doing here, but yet the smears start. This is why a lot of people get turned off politics."
His wife Olivia Chow said in a statement she knew about his appointment at the clinic and he told her about the incident.
She adds that Layton, who was a Toronto council member at the time, did nothing wrong and anything to the contrary is "utterly false."