Anders promises to stay close to home during campaign

A Conservative candidate accused of keeping a low profile during the federal election campaign has surfaced, saying the cast on his left arm hasn't kept him from knocking on doors in his riding.

Inan interview withCBC News onWednesday, Rob Anders says he tore his bicep shortly before the election was called on Sept. 7and although he needed surgery and pain killers, he has been hitting the campaign trail.

"Basically what happened was I was lifting a heavy weight and I pulled my bicep out of my forearm," he said Wednesday. "It hasn't distracted me from campaigning. We've been out for eight days now, door knocking."

Anders,who didn't respond to interview requests from CBC Radioduring the first 10 days of the campaign, was keeping such a low profile that rival and Green party candidate Randall Weeks compared the incumbent to Bigfoot.

Anders says he's been asked to help out Conservative candidates elsewhere in the country, but he's planning to stay close to home.However, he warnedthat hewon't be able tomeet every voter in his riding.

"No MP can cover all the doors in your riding. It's just the nature of the campaign. It's a 36-day writ and you do your best."

Low profile in last election

In the last election, Anders kept a low profile, refusing to attend some all-candidates' forums.

He spent time in British Columbia helping a Tory candidate who had been injured in a car accident, and he ran a phone bank, calling voters in other provinces for the party.

Anders was first elected in 1997 and was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2006 by large margins.

Besides Weeks,Anders is running against Canadian Action Party candidate Tim Cayzer, Independent Kirk Schmidt,Liberal Jennifer Pollock, and NDPer Teale Phelps-Bondaroff.

Voters go to the polls on Oct. 14.