Mayo-Tatchun MLA Eric Fairclough says it isn't him who's tired, it's NDP Leader Todd Hardy.

'I'm probably feeling more prepared mentally going into an election than I ever was,' Fairclough told the Star this morning.

Prior to the last three sittings of the legislative assembly it was Hardy who has told his caucus how 'burnt out he was,' said Fairclough.

Hardy removed Fairclough from the NDP caucus on Wednesday after it came to light he and Kluane MLA Gary McRobb had been in discussions with the Liberals about their political futures.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Hardy had indicated Fairclough was talking to his constituents about if he should run again in the territorial election, which must be called by November.

Hardy said McRobb had been ousted from caucus on Tuesday, because he had sent a letter to his constituents indicating running under the NDP's banner in the next election would not be an option.

'(Fairclough's) question is quite a bit different,' said Hardy on Tuesday. 'He told me that he's tired. That he's done this for 10 years.

'He was going to go and talk to some people in his riding about should he or should he not run again. He honestly feels tired. That's fundamentally different.

'Eric informed me he was unaware and was not part of that with Gary.'

But Fairclough's response in the media on Wednesday indicated he felt he was doing the same thing as McRobb, only verbally rather than by letter.

'The difference is that we chose to consult our constituents in different ways,' said Fairclough.

'The facts are in stark contrast to what I was told over the phone (by Fairclough on Monday),' said Hardy after pushing the MLA out of caucus. 'I base everything on trust. I have to.'

Fairclough said Hardy is trying to falsely paint him as a lair.

'I don't appreciate (Hardy's) comments about me, and basically saying I'm a lair,' said Fairclough. 'I haven't said anything different than what I told Todd (Hardy).'

Fairclough and McRobb sent a joint-letter to Hardy on Feb. 20 which stated the two MLAs' intentions to 'openly seek feedback from our constituents with respect to our political options as their elected representatives.

'In the days ahead, we will seriously consider the feedback from our constituents and arrive at a decision.'

A meeting was then held with Hardy on the following day, said Fairclough, and the NDP leader was very quiet during the discussion.

Fairclough said Hardy only asked a few questions in the meeting and gave very little feedback. Fairclough said Hardy's quietness surprised him given the importance of the topic.

Fairclough said he told Hardy he would be consulting his constituents on if he should run again in the election and that there had been previous discussions with Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell about political futures.

Fairclough added he also told Hardy he expected his constituents to tell him to run again and suspected there would be questions about the NDP's leader.

'I told him I was going to be open with them,' said Fairclough.

During the discussion it didn't appear Hardy had any problems with the approach of the two MLAs, said Fairclough.

'It seemed like he was accepting it was the proper thing to do to talk to the constituents,' he said.

He added, 'The discussion I had with him didn't vary from that letter at all. (Hardy's) trying to say I said something else.

'I think there are some people who are missing the point that we were open with Todd.'

Fairclough said he hasn't spoken with Hardy since his ouster, and like McRobb he received the news via a telephone message left at his Carmacks home.

Fairclough also hasn't spoken with Mitchell since being ousted and said he doesn't intend to at this time.

'I don't need to be talking to anyone right now but my constituents,' he said.

Fairclough plans to be talking to individuals in his riding leading up to the next sitting of the legislature, which is expected to reconvene in the next several weeks.

Right now, he is slated to sit as an independent, but he said his concerns and issues will still be similar to what he has previously spoken about on the floor of the legislature. Fairclough has previously focused on the need for public consultations and issues related to mining and resources.

Fairclough said he plans to let his constituents lead the discussion that will occur over the next several weeks.

'It is me, as the representative of the Mayo-Tatchun riding, talking to individuals,' he said. The talk won't just be about his political future, but also about issues of concern to his community, he said.

Fairclough said he believes the NDP leader could have dealt with the situation a lot differently, but he said it is now no longer his problem.

'It's up to their party members to debate this now,' he said.

Fairclough is currently in Whitehorse. He plans to regroup this weekend and spend some time with his family. He will then return to his riding and begin consultations with his constituents.