OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jack Layton, facing sagging poll numbers and uncertain electoral prospects, is trying to revive his political fortunes with a crusade to push a revamped Clean Air Act through Parliament early in the new year.

Layton, speaking at a year-end news conference Monday, challenged the other federal parties to help him rewrite the Conservative climate-change bill that's currently before a Commons committee.

"This Parliament could completely reconstruct -- in fact construct anew -- legislation that would get the job done,'' he said.

"I'm in direct touch with the other party leaders to convince them that early action . . . is not only essential, but it's something that we can do. There's no reason for delay.''

Layton maintains it's possible to amend the Tory bill, debate the changes and pass the legislation within weeks once MPs return to work at the end of January. That timetable could make it law before Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivers his next budget.

The bold talk on climate change was coupled with a signal that the NDP could refrain from joining the Bloc Quebecois in voting non-confidence in Prime Minister Stephen Harper on another  key issue, the war in Afghanistan.

Layton, who has long called for withdrawal of Canadian troops, said he won't decide on the Bloc initiative until he sees the exact wording of the motion.

But he clearly indicated that he believes Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe is just jockeying for political advantage in trying to force an early election on the issue.

"I don't like the idea of playing political games with people's lives,'' said Layton.

Stephane Dion, the new Liberal leader, also signalled Monday he doesn't like the Bloc tactic, apparently scuttling any chance the Harper government would fall over the Afghan mission.

The NDP has found itself under increasing pressure on climate change, which the party used to consider one of its strongest policy points.

Opinion polls suggest the New Democrats have been losing ground on the issue to the Liberals since Dion, a former environment minister, assumed the Grit leadership. Layton also faces a challenge from a revived Green party under new leader Elizabeth May.

The latest surveys put the NDP at between 12 and 14 per cent of decided voters nationally, down from the 17.5 per cent they garnered in the last election when they boosted their numbers in the Commons to 29 MPs from 19.

Layton rejected suggestions that he's propping up the Conservatives just to avoid a spring election in which NDP chances could be shaky. But he also made it clear he prefers not to hit the campaign trail just yet.

"It's important to try to get some results out of this Parliament,'' he said. "I think we have a bit of a reputation for being able to work with just about anybody that's willing to try to get some results on the key issues.''

The Conservatives were slammed by all opposition parties when they brought the Clean Air Act before the House this fall. Harper finally agreed to refer it to committee for possible revisions after Layton threatened to table a non-confidence motion.

The NDP wants amendments that would impose tough new rules on smokestack and auto emissions within 12 months of passage. They also demand an end to subsidies for the oil and gas industry, with the savings to the federal treasury going to fund environmental projects.

There are fears the bill won't get out of committee in any form before Flaherty brings in his next budget _ a financial blueprint that could precipitate an election if the opposition votes it down, thus cutting short the climate-change debate.

Layton repeatedly insisted he's not interested in striking a deal to win Tory support on the environment in exchange for the NDP giving the government an easy ride on the budget.

"We want to see brand new climate-change legislation (and) we want to see the gouging of people's pocketbooks stopped,'' he said.

"We'll work on all of these issues simultaneously. It's not a question of trading one for the other.''