TORONTO -- -  Jack Layton tried hard to dispel the perception his newly elected, young and inexperienced caucus is not ready for prime time.

The NDP leader said Tuesday his fresh roster of MPs will bring a fresh perspective to Parliament.

Layton also attempted to bury the hatchet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, someone he's repeatedly warned Canadians not to trust.

He said Canadian voters were looking for change when they propelled his New Democrats into official Opposition status for the first time in the party's history.

"They didn't want the same old House of Commons. They did want something new," Layton said. "We'll have a lot of new energy, new blood, new talent and new knowledge."

The NDP crop of new Quebec MPs includes university students and other political neophytes.

"Young people got involved in this election in an unprecedented way," Layton said.

"I think it was very exciting. The fact that some of these young people have now been chosen by the members of their constituencies to be their voice, I think we should see that as something to celebrate, not criticize."

He noted there are also veteran New Democrat MPs considered among the most effective in Parliament.

"It's a diverse group," Layton said. "We have a former member of Parliament, we have a former cabinet minister, we have a former deputy chief of the Cree of the James Bay nation, we have the first Innu lawyer from a community in the north of Quebec, we have an expert in international law."

Layton also struck a conciliatory tone with Harper, saying that he'll take the prime minister at his word when he signalled he wants to work with other parties.

"I'm actually more interested in proposition, as I've always said, than opposition," said Layton, whose campaign speeches and rallies were full of dark warnings about what the Conservatives would do to Canada if elected to a majority.

"What I'm going to do is reach out to Mr. Harper and say 'We had our differences in the past. ... We'll oppose you when we think you're wrong, but we'll work together to try to find areas where we can agree.'

"We'll apply as much pressure as can to the Harper Conservatives."

Layton also dismissed suggestions from defeated Liberals that the two left-of-centre parties should merge.

The NDP won an unprecedented 102 seats in Monday's vote, including 58 in Quebec, where the separatist Bloc was virtually wiped out.

As someone born and raised in Quebec, Layton said, he's touched by the confidence Quebecers have shown him, and intends to take a "practical, step-by-step approach" to delivering for the province.

He's also promising to press Harper to adopt NDP policies, including steps to recruit more family doctors, improve pensions and cap credit-card interest rates.

Layton said he'll be able to do so even though Harper has a majority government, which will allow him to follow his own agenda and ignore the opposition.

"We will try to convince Mr. Harper to do what he should do,"Layton said. "With the mandate we received, he has an obligation to listen to us."

Layton, now the most successful NDP leader in history, said he can muster public opinion to sway the Tories.

"Our party can express the views and attitudes of the public, because a great many Canadians voted for the NDP."