'More about less.'

That's how Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell described the first day of the fall sitting of the 31st legislative assembly.

The sitting began last Thursday afternoon with just 17 MLAs. The 18th seat won't be filled until the Nov. 21 byelection in Copperbelt.

The seat became vacant on Sept. 9 with the resignation of independent MLA Haakon Arntzen following his conviction and sentencing for the indecent assaults of two women in the 1970s.

Ted Staffen, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, began the sitting by removing 17 motions Arntzen had remaining on the agenda.

Mitchell is running for the Liberals in the riding. He was joined in the visitor's gallery by NDP candidate Maureen Stephens.

The Yukon Party's byelection representative, Cynthia Kearns, was not present.

Also notably absent on the first day was Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon, who was in Toronto for the Xerox 2007 Canada Winter Games sponsorship announcement.

Highway and Public Works Minister Glenn Hart was away sick. A report from the clerk of the assembly tabled last Thursday shows Hart has missed, without a $100 fine, five days of the spring 2004 sitting and five days in the spring 2005 sitting.

The governing Yukon Party tabled seven pieces of legislation, including the 2005-2006 supplementary budget and Fourth Appropriation Act for the 2004-2005 budget.

Most of the legislation was amending acts such as the public service group insurance benefit plan and the Supreme Court Act.

The Co-operation in Governance Act was also tabled which will enshrine the Yukon Forum into law.

'(This) is one bill that's new unique and has never been done anywhere I've known in Canada and that's the Co-operation in Governance in town,' Premier Dennis Fentie told reporters.

He added he wouldn't classify the newly tabled legislation as just 'housekeeping.'

'I would describe the bills as necessary bills,' he said. 'They are legislation that are intended to improve the ability of government to deliver programs and services. They are bills that we have to table, debate and pass and, as all legislation should do, make the life of Yukoners better.'

But Liberal MLA Pat Duncan told the Star previously the Yukon Party is 'a do-nothing government.'

Fentie disagreed. 'This government does not take the view that the number of bills you bring forward are the litmus test. It's what type of legislation you bring forward is the litmus test.'

'What have they built?' asked Duncan, a former premier.

'We've built a better and brighter future for Yukoners,' Fentie told reporters.

Opposition Leader Todd Hardy expressed concern the future of the territory might not be so bright under the continued governance of the Yukon Party.

Lapses in the supplementary budget demonstrate a 'degree of incompetence' from the governing party, he said.

'(The NDP) has lost faith in this government to be open and accountable,' he said. 'On a legislative level, (the Yukon Party government) has done almost nothing, and that's a disgrace.'

Despite Fentie's assertions regarding the importance of the Co-operation in Governance Act, many questions in the house revolved around the government's relationship with first nations governments.

'When does the premier intend to start giving the same importance to honouring the numerous agreements he has signed with the first nations that he gives to getting the signatures in the first place?' asked Hardy.

Mitchell labelled Fentie as 'Mr. MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)'.

'The words are great, but there's never anything following the words,' Mitchell told the Star.

Questions were also raised regarding what Mike Smith, the acting chair of the Alaska Highway Aboriginal Pipeline Coalition, has labelled as a 'stalemate' between the group and the government.

Smith told the Star that Fentie has distanced himself from commitments in the spring to give $200,000 to the group to provide for administrative and office space costs.

'What's going on with this money?' asked the NDP's Energy, Mines and Resources critic, Gary McRobb. Why hasn't this government honoured its agreement with these Yukon first nations?'

'This is only the first day of question period and the member for Kluane is already exceeding the bounds of what it is we should be discussing,' Fentie responded.

Other questions included the delinquent territorial loans that have been handed over to Dana naye Ventures, including Health Minister Peter Jenkins', amendments to the Wildlife Act, education reform and when a municipal election will be called in Dawson City to replace the current trustee.

'We'll always get criticism, but criticism, in my view and this government's view, is good. It can lead to constructive measures so we can provide better governance,' Fentie told reporters after question period.

But, in his final question of the day, Hardy disagreed: 'Since the premier is clearly not providing the kind of leadership Yukon people expect and want, will he tell us now when there will be a general election so that voters can send a message about how much they actually believe this premier?'

'Maybe the answer for the member opposite is the Yukon public might not want another general election in case the worst-case scenario happens: an election of an NDP government, which would lead this territory backwards,' responded Fentie, a former NDP MLA.