NDP Leader Liz Hanson and Toronto MP Olivia Chow met with reporters this morning at Shipyards Park to rally further support for the NDP and discuss what the party calls a "wave of momentum” moving it forward to voting day.

"Everywhere I go, people tell me it's time for a new government that does politics differently,” said Hanson.

"Yukoners deserve an honest discussion about the issues that matter,” said Hanson. "The name-calling, bullying and fabrications of the other parties is an insult to the intelligence of

Yukoners and the democratic process.”

Hanson said that negative attack ads by other parties, including recent attempts made by the Yukon Party to discredit the NDP economic platform, have strengthened public perception of the party. She also suggested the party's stance on natural resource royalty sharing, protecting the Peel watershed and its support of various housing initiatives have contributed to their public support.

Chow echoed the sentiment.

"Yukoners want change,” she said. "They want new energy, someone that listens and cares about them, and I see that in Liz Hanson's NDP. They represent change and the strong voice in leadership.”

Chow is visiting the territory for just one day, lending her high-profile support to the territorial campaign but also, she says, to discuss her national transit strategy, royalty reserve funds and simply to visit friends.

Chow took the opportunity this morning to discuss her new transit bill and its effect on communities like Whitehorse.

"I met the mayor, met with the association of Yukon communities, and with Grand Chief (Ruth) Massie (of the Council for Yukon First Nations,” said Chow.

"We talked about the need for infrastructure investment. We talked about the importance of public transit.”

Federal Transport Minister Denis Lebel has said the federal government should not dictate what the municipalities want for transit service, Chow said.

"I asked Mayor (Bev) Buckway yesterday about that and she said it's not a question of dictating what we want. We need the federal government's involvement and partnership.”

Chow believes that good public transportation is a foundation of good governance. She supports bringing the municipalities, aboriginal communities and Whitehorse Transit together to draft a plan, based on community input.

"Without sustainable, long-term financial support, it is difficult to plan a public transit system,” she said. "It is actually bad for the economy for people to not be able to get to work on time, it's bad when you spend so much on health dollars because people can't make medical check-ups, it so much more expensive. Good public transit is good for the economy, it's good for the environment and it's good for quality of life.”

She says she paid for her trip herself, through part of her per diem payment as an MP and critic of public transportation for the official Opposition.

Both candidates closed the address with the message that a vote for the NDP is a vote for change in the Yukon.

"The strongest leader is the Yukon NDP,” said Chow. "Yukoners know that a vote for their local NDP candidate is a vote to defeat the Yukon Party.”

"The NDP have delivered a message of hope and change,” said Hanson. "It's a message that says we can get results on the issues that matter. It's a message that says Yukoners can achieve so much more together than we can apart.”