Recommendations on a petition with more than 700 signatures may have been disregarded by the governing Yukon Party, but the Citizens for Electoral Reform Yukon says it has only just begun its work.

'I was personally disappointed, but not surprised, however,' Ross Findlater, a member of the reform group, said in an interview last week.

'(Premier Dennis) Fentie has stated his opposition to electoral reform several times previously.'

There have already been discussions about a 'Plan B,' in the push for electoral reform, said Findlater.

The plan revolves around turning electoral reform into an election issue, he said.

The group will be sending letters to all three party leaders and requesting a written response clearly outlining their position on electoral reform, he said.

There is also the possibility that the group will ask for a direct response from all the candidates in the next general election, which Fentie must call by November 2006.

The electoral reform petition tabled in the legislative assembly on Dec. 1 asked the government to create a citizens' commission to research the various options of electoral reform, as well as inform and consult the public on different voting systems.

Following receipt of a report from the citizens' commission, the petition asked the government to provide Yukon citizens with a referendum process to choose the electoral system they prefer.

The electoral reform group feels the current system of voting is unfair because of an imbalance between the percentage of votes received by each party and the percentage of seats won by the party.

The proposition is that the first-past-the-post system, which awards a seat to the individual with the most votes in a particular riding, doesn't truly reflect the wishes of the electorate.

Since 1978, six of the eight majority governments have been elected by fewer than half of the voters.

In the 2002 election, the Yukon Party won 40 per cent of the popular vote in the territory, but now occupies 66 per cent of the seats in the legislature.

There were similar results in the 2000 election when the Liberal party had 43 per cent of the popular vote but 58 per cent of the seats in the House.

The NDP took 40 per cent of the vote and 59 per cent of the ridings in the 1996 election.

On Dec. 8, Fentie responded to the petition, stating the government had given it 'serious and thoughtful consideration.'

But the findings of the $124,000 McKinnon Report is what truly indicates Yukoners' thoughts on electoral reform, Fentie told the house.

The Yukon Party funded the report by former commissioner Ken McKinnon. It found the government should be more concerned with legislative renewal than electoral reform.

McKinnon's report received criticism for not consulting enough Yukoners and predominantly focusing on the electoral reform process in British Columbia.

'The government will continue to work with citizens, pursue legislative renewal, as well as continuing its efforts to bring good government to Yukoners in accordance with their priorities,' said Fentie.

NDP Leader Todd Hardy said Fentie's government doesn't appear to support legislative renewal either.

The Yukon Party twice rejected legislation put forward by the NDP aimed at legislative reform and electoral reform.

'I think he's a hypocrite in saying that,' said Hardy, who tabled a motion on the last day of the fall sitting again asking the Yukon Party to honour its 2002 platform and throne speech commitment to review the electoral system.

'(The petition) was basically seen as a necessary first step,' said Findlater.

The group has not met since the government's decision on the petition and won't likely meet again until the New Year.

There will also likely be a focus educating the Yukon public about voting systems in the New Year, said George Green, another spokesman for the group.

Yukoners need to be provided with the opportunity to learn about the different voting options that are out there, he said.

'Debate and discussion will have huge value. You just can't say, I don't like what we have' without alternatives.'

The group is not currently proposing one electoral system over another.

Past press releases from the group, however, have made reference to the voting systems in British Columbia and New Zealand.

A citizens' commission in B.C. proposed a proportional electoral system that uses a single transferable vote. This system would provide the election of several MLAs based on the size of a riding and would also permit voters to rank candidates on their ballots.

In New Zealand, a mixed member proportional system is used, permitting voters to place a vote for a party and for a candidate to represent their riding.

Hardy has previously stated a mixed system is likely the option best suited to the Yukon.

'We really didn't see this as something that was going to happen quickly,' said Green. 'We're in for the long haul. Every generation has to give birth to democracy.'

Green said the push to get any type of change will likely take at least two years.

He added the group is not discouraged by the government's response to the petition.

'We will go forward with more enthusiasm than ever,' he said. 'A little setback only motivates us to try harder.'