Quoting from the final lines of William Shakespeare's play King Lear, NDP Leader Todd Hardy told supporters on Saturday to 'Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.'

The approximately 57 supporters at the New Democratic Party's convention at the Na Kwa Ta Ku Potlatch House in the McIntyre subdivision took to Hardy's election rally calls during his 25-minute leader's address, giving him a standing ovation at the end.

Despite past statements from former NDP MLA Gary McRobb that Hardy did not have the support of some of the party's membership, the leader avoided a review.

Hardy instead took the time to promote his party's achievements, which he said include the Safer Communities and Neighbours Act and a push for more ethics in the legislature and politics.

'(The Safer Communities Act) is probably the most significant legislation the territory has seen in 3 1/2 three years. It's NDP legislation,' said Hardy.

'That is an NDP opposition motion originally. That was brought forward when the government didn't even have it on their radar. The government had to respond to our agenda,' he said.

Hardy also criticized a bill tabled by the Liberals last week regarding ethics.

'If you look at it, it's copied from ours. They can't even write their own,' he said, referring to the NDP's previously tabled legislative renewal legislation.

'I believe it's being done for one reason alone, and one reason only, and that's to try to deal with their own ethical problems and that's to try to convince the people of this territory that they do have ethics all of a sudden.

'We are the only party with very clear principles, very sound policy,' said Hardy. 'We encourage people to say what they think and respect what other people have to say.'

Hardy said he believes his party is the most ready for the next election, which Premier Dennis Fentie must call by November.

'The reason it hasn't been called to date, is I believe, the Yukon Party is struggling to find candidates, is struggling to find an identity. They are waiting for our platform to come out so they can use it,' said Hardy.

He added the Liberals are trying to find a platform as well, drawing reference to Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell holding meetings with the now-ousted former NDP MLAs McRobb and Eric Fairclough.

McRobb is now sitting with the Liberals while Fairclough is sitting as an independent. Prior to McRobb joining the Liberals, he had been privy to NDP platform development meetings as well as other discussions within the caucus.

But Hardy said it won't likely be the NDP which releases its platform first for the other two parties to copy.

'We will give our platform to the people of the Yukon and they will make the decision on what's the best party, what's the best candidates that we will have and they will vote accordingly,' said Hardy.

'I believe it is the NDP that will be forming the next government of the Yukon Territory.'

He later told the media, on a scale of one to 10 of election preparedness, he believes the NDP is at about a 7.5.

The NDP has been leading in the polls since last fall as the party most likely to form the next government albeit a minority.

The party's membership, though, is growing, said Hardy, and potential candidates are continuing to come forward.

The party has become stronger since the March departures of McRobb and Fairclough, said Hardy.

He spoke candidly about the removals of the two rural MLAs from his caucus.

'I can't think of a harder decision I've had to make,' he said. 'I take full responsibility for making that decision. I'm not finding excuses why I have to do it.'

The decision was made to protect the party and to protect his caucus colleagues, he said.

'This party will continue to move forward, because a party is bigger than any one single elected member.'

Hardy said he has not yet directly gone into the ridings of Kluane and Mayo-Tatchun to speak to the constituents. He does plan to do so now that he has addressed the removals of McRobb and Fairclough directly with his party.

He also said he has spoken with Fairclough, who is currently following the NDP notion of sitting as an independent prior to joining another party.

'I'm willing to talk with him at any time, anywhere about any of the issues that he has and the door's open to have that dialogue. He's not shut out of this party,' said Hardy.

Fairclough has not filed paperwork to have himself removed from the NDP membership nor has any party member.

Federal NDP Members of Parliament Libby Davies and Alex Atamanenko attended the convention, providing advice on running a winning campaign and updating the situation in Ottawa.

The day also attracted past NDP candidates and newly-acclaimed Klondike candidate Jorn Meier.

Mike Smith, chief of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, also went to the convention and spoke briefly on his first nation's concerns regarding the Alaska Highway pipeline.

Labour organizations were wellrepresented. They included Laurie Butterworth, president of the Yukon Employees Union, and Alex Furlong, president of the Yukon Federation of Labour.

Furlong told supporters he would not be telling labour members who they should be voting for, but he made his preference clear.

'It's my opinion that the labour movement knows full well where we should be voting,' said Furlong. 'It is very clear the option is not the present government and the option is not a Liberal government who endorses public-private partnerships.

'We can elect a government that has a vision and values that we all hold very dear to our hearts.'

With 5,000 households and approximately 10,000 voters in the Yukon being somehow affiliated with the labour movement, Furlong said concerns of the movement will be prominent in the coming election.

Furlong said he doesn't feel good about where the territory is currently headed under the Yukon Party government.

Hardy agreed. 'From my perspective, democracy is under attack, and it's something we have to hold very close to our hearts and be willing to stand up and fight for.'