Premier Dennis Fentie is promising the largest budget in the Yukon's history as the territory's legislative assembly will reconvene Mar. 19.

The date of the start of the spring session was announced today.

While unable to provide a dollar-figure today, the premier described the upcoming budget as "the largest capital investment this territory has ever experienced," aimed at bringing, "stimulus, stimulus, stimulus."

With supplementary spending and special warrants, government expenditures in the territory topped $950 million, and it's anticipated 2009's budget will crest the billion-dollar mark.

When asked about the nature of this upcoming spending spree, Fentie was short on specifics.

"It's dedicated strategically to green energy, highways, bridges, public structures," Fentie told the Star.

"In areas that will result in infrastructure on the ground that will provide immediate benefit for Yukoners and contribute to long-term economic growth."

Since the United States' sub-prime mortgage collapse last summer, which precipitated a worldwide economic meltdown, the premier has trumpeted infrastructure spending as the key to the Yukon's stability.

And of all Canadian premiers, Fentie has been loath to describe the crisis as anything more than "a global cycle."

And with federal transfer payments to the Yukon expected to rise nearly 10 per cent to $680 million for 2009, the territory appears well-prepared to weather the economic storm.

While Fentie has been touting the record Yukon budget via newspaper advertisements, the premier denied he is taking credit for the fresh federal cash already bound for the territory.

"I'm not here taking credit, I'm here informing Yukoners that we are doing the job necessary," he said.

"What government will take credit for are the many negotiations taking place between the Yukon and Canada and that the principle of comparable services is something we're achieving ...and also take credit, as a government, for the fact that we've had six annual surpluses in a row."

The 2009 budget will be number seven, Fentie added.

The premier spoke to the Star from Vancouver International Airport, where he was in transit to Whitehorse after attending the Arctic Gas Symposium in Calgary.

Fentie was a keynote speaker at the event, "raising awareness of the Yukon."

"We focused for this conference on the theme of developing potential and opportunities in the oil and gas sector," Fentie said.

Meanwhile, the Liard First Nation (LFN), over whose traditional territory the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline would traverse, also attended the symposium to raise awareness about its position.

Liard McMillan, the LFN's chief, said he expects "full and meaningful consultation and accommodation by the federal government."

Last week, TransCanada - currently the odds-on-favourite to build the 2,700-km line - proposed to negotiate a participation agreement with the LFN.

But according to McMillan, Denali, a competing pipeline builder eyeing the Alaska project, has not, "engaged the LFN in any comprehensive manner."