If NDP leader Jack Layton has a campaign hook for a possible fall federal election, he was in no mood to divulge it during a Vancouver stop yesterday.

Rather than discuss elections, Layton used the first stop on his cross country campus tour to plead with parties to put away their “schoolyard” antics.

“I feel it’s better to go back to work than have an election,” Layton said at UBC’s Student Union Building. “Our view has always been to work with parties for results.”

To that end, Layton has dropped a number of motions on Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s table. If the Conservatives agree, the NDP could squash the Liberals’ upcoming vote of no confidence.

Layton was defiant when a student asked how he could prop up a government he tried to overthrow earlier this year.

“There’s a big difference between propping up a government and trying to get things accomplished in Parliament,” he said. “We are doing the latter.”

Layton spent about an hour answering student questions on issues ranging from human rights, health care and military spending to cell phone charges.

Matt Kieltyka reports for Vancouver 24 hours.