NDP candidate Pam Boyde is trying to turn the election campaign negative, says Liberal incumbent Larry Bagnell.

Boyde called a press conference Thursday to 'expose' Bagnell's 'unfavourable voting record', saying the incumbent member for Parliament is hiding his voting record from Yukoners.

'(The NDP) is running a totally negative campaign in desperation,' Bagnell told the Star from the election trail in Old Crow.

Boyde provided media with a list of seven private member's bills Bagnell had voted against in the House of Commons.

Two of the private member's bills were brought forward by the NDP, two by the Conservatives and three by the Bloc Quebecois.

'(Bagnell) voted against easing the burden of student debt on students attending post-secondary school,' said Boyde.

'He voted against letting pregnant mothers refuse unsafe work. He voted against tough penalties for criminals convicted of crimes involving firearms. And worst of all, he voted against tough penalties for those convicted of selling drugs near schools.'

She also drew reference to Bagnell skipping the vote on the gun registry in 2003 and his vote in favour of the Marine Liability Act, which Boyde said is creating challenges for wilderness tour operators in the Yukon.

Bagnell is voting against the interests of Yukoners, said Boyde, adding it's an example of the lack of accountability and arrogance in the Liberal government.

Boyde's campaign office compiled the list of bills off a website called 'How'd They Vote? MP Debate Statistics' (www.howdtheyvote.ca).

The site was created by Cory Horner, a B.C. man, to help Canadians track what their representatives are doing in government.

The site, launched last May, drew a great deal of national media attention during the summer.

'It's embarrassing that (Boyde) called a press conference to say I'm hiding how I vote,' said Bagnell.

Not only does the How'd They Vote? website provide reference to how each MP votes, but the Parliament of Canada website (www.parl.gc.ca) provides that information and the contents of each bill, said Bagnell, adding most votes are also televised on CPAC.

'After two campaigns, she should know that.' (Boyd also ran against him in 2004.)

Boyde, however, said if she were elected, she would post how she voted on each piece of legislation on a public website and send out regular newsletters on her voting record.

The list provided by the NDP did not include reference to the legislation being private member's bills, which are brought forward by individual members of Parliament rather than parties or government.

It's generally government-endorsed bills that pass through the three readings in the House of Commons, committee and the Senate to receive Royal Assent and become law.

From 1983 until 2003, only 37 private member's bills were able to receive Royal Assent in Canada.

After 2003, former prime minister Jean Chretien changed the rules surrounding private member's bills to make it easier for elected representatives to get their legislation through Parliament.

However, the passage of private member's bills into law still remains at approximately 1.5 per cent.

During the first session of the 38th Parliament, that was dissolved for the Jan. 23 election, 264 private member's bills were tabled.

Bagnell said Boyde is 'jumping to conclusions' about how he voted on the private member's bills.

'That's not a sign of a careful legislator.'

Bagnell said he is willing to discuss why he votes one way or another on any piece of legislation with any constituent.

The decision on how to vote on private member's legislation is often based on if the bills are in favour of the Yukon and if another piece of legislation with better proposals on the issue will be coming forward later, he said.

Some bills may appear on the surface to be good for Yukoners, but may not specifically address the true needs of the territory or could actually have a negative impact, he said.

He added some of the private member's bills are 'poorly written' and may contain flaws that don't make them legally justified.

Boyde said Bagnell simply toes the party line. As an elected representative for the NDP, Boyde said she would stand up for Yukoners and discuss legislation and how she would vote with party leader Jack Layton.

But, as for voting against his Liberal party, Bagnell said he has done so nine times.

That information is also available on the How'd They Vote website and the number places him as the 35th highest dissenter in the House of Commons out of the 307 members of Parliament.

The site also shows he has only missed a vote in the House of Commons twice.

Dan McTeague is the highest Liberal dissenter, having voted against his party 25 times.

The highest NDP representative to vote against his party is Peter Stoffer, who is ranked 81 out of MPs. He has voted against the NDP four times.