Health issues forced Jack Layton to miss a public event Saturday – his first scheduled appearance since announcing he has cancer.

Layton was supposed to attend a celebration for a local publication in Brampton, at a Sikh place of worship, but his spokesman, Karl Belanger, said he "was not in a condition to travel." He wouldn't say if it was related to his illness.

Layton, 59, who announced Friday that he was diagnosed in December with prostate cancer, said he would stay on as NDP leader and MP for Toronto Danforth.

Layton called one of the speakers at the Saturday event, Jagtar Shergill, who held his phone up to a microphone as Layton apologized for not attending the celebration for the publication Road News.

Belanger said Layton still planned to attend an early evening fundraising event in Toronto to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his wife, NDP MP Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina). Chow is also a cancer survivor, having won a battle with thyroid cancer.

Layton said Friday that his treatment is underway, but his staff said details would remain private.