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More than a month after a disturbing report about the harmful cocktail of chemicals found in Canadian children was released a federal politician offered a blood sample to measure the amount of toxins coursing through his veins.

NDP Leader Jack Layton is the first federal politician to be tested for toxic chemicals by a group called Environmental Defence, which released a report in June suggesting Canadian kids have traces of dangerous chemicals that have been banned for years in their bloodstreams.

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, Health Minister Tony Clement and Liberal Environment Critic John Godfrey have all said they'd like to take the test.

Environmental Defence says Layton's test will highlight the broad range of chemicals Canadians are exposed to and that these dangerous substances are found in everyday products, such as furniture, electronics, cleaning products and clothing.

"It's astonishing how many MPs still refuse to make the connection between the products we use today and enduring health effects," Layton said. "The NDP has taken the lead on protecting communities by proposing Parliament outlaw cancer-causing pesticides. This blood-test challenge goes a long way to raise awareness for all Canadians especially law-makers and those responsible for producing products that lead to health problems."

Layton's blood will be analyzed for 102 compounds, including PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls); stain repellants and non-stick chemicals known as PFCs, or perfluorinated chemicals; pesticides such as DDT; heavy metals including mercury and lead; air pollutants; and flame retardants.

This test is just a part of Environmental Defence's Toxic Nation campaign in which the group is measuring the amount of these types of chemicals in a broad range of Canadians.

"It is well known that Canada is one of the worst polluting countries in the world but what had not been known until we did this testing is the extent to which this pollution has seeped into our bodies," said Dr. Rick Smith Environmental Defense
 
"Canada is failing miserably to protect its people from these kinds of pollution."