The Yukon government is going to watch B.C.'s review of how that province elects its MLAs before conducting its own electoral reform.

The territorial government announced today it has appointed Ken McKinnon, a former territorial MLA and commissioner, to observe British Columbia's review of its electoral process.

McKinnon's appointment will cost taxpayers $120,000.

During the 2002 territorial election campaign, Premier Dennis Fentie's Yukon Party promised in its platform 'upon formation of government, strike an independent commission of citizens to hold public consultations on electoral reform in the Yukon.'

Three weeks after the Yukon Party won a large majority, Fentie promised to create an independent citizens' commission to review the territory's electoral system.

The premier said the commission would be created shortly after his government was sworn in.

The swearing-in took place Nov. 30, 2002. After more than a year of being in office, this is the first mention of electoral reform made by the Yukon Party government.

However, McKinnon indicated today it will be at least another 13 months before the Yukon starts its own review.

Instead, 2004 will be spent with McKinnon observing the B.C. process and using that as a starting point for the Yukon.

'I'm the first process,' McKinnon told the Star.

The B.C. citizens' assembly will be meeting for most of 2004 and will table recommendations to the provincial government on how to change the electoral system, if at all, by December.

McKinnon will watch the entire process and file two reports to the Yukon government, which will be tabled in the legislature.

McKinnon's interim report will have to be given to the government by July 31. The final report must be completed by February 2005.

The B.C. citizens' assembly, which is made up of randomly-selected people from each riding in the province, will learn about the various forms of electing governments used around the world. It will then put together its recommendation of the best option for the province.

That new system, if one is suggested, will be put forward in a referendum held at the same time as B.C.'s next provincial election, which has already been set for May 17, 2005.

If 60 per cent of voters choose to change systems, the new electoral method would be in place for the next election, likely in 2009.

McKinnon said the information about the different electoral systems will be in his reports for Yukoners to consider. He will also be reviewing the process B.C. is using. In his report, McKinnon will suggest how the Yukon could conduct its review.

The actual review will not start until after McKinnon's final report is tabled in February 2005.

At that point, the Yukon Party will have to call an election within no more than 18 months.

However, McKinnon believes that is enough time to put together a commission to suggest changes to the electoral system, then put those proposed changes into a referendum as part of the next territorial election, similar to what B.C. is doing.

B.C. has been working on starting up this review for more than a year.

McKinnon said he kept up with B.C.'s process through last year and kept the government informed about what was going on.

Since B.C. was telling McKinnon it would be willing to help the Yukon review electoral reform, the Yukon then appointed McKinnon to observe the process.

He said using the information coming out of B.C. will give the territory a head start on its own reform.

The Yukon representative was at the first meeting last weekend to watch the process in action.

'As a political scientist, it's just really exciting,' he said of the process. McKinnon has a political science degree.

Now that he's been appointed, McKinnon will get paid to follow the process. The $120,000 is for the next year and is split between his salary and expenses for travelling to B.C.

He will receive $84,000 for the year in salary, with the rest for travel.

McKinnon said if he went back to his old job as an assistant deputy minister with the federal government, the salary range would be $160,000 to $200,000 annually. He took the low end of that range and cut it in half because this wouldn't be set up as a full-time job. He thought that would be fair to Yukoners.

NDP Leader Todd Hardy said today he is cautiously supportive of the government's announcement.

The NDP supports electoral reform both in the Yukon and in Canada, he said.

But Hardy added the party has some concerns with appointing McKinnon at a cost of $120,000.

'I don't know what's so amazing about the B.C. citizens' assembly' that the Yukon needs to spend $120,000 just to have McKinnon observe it, he said.

Hardy said most of the information that will come out of the B.C. review is already available on the Internet.

'I also believe that B.C. is going to be making that process available on-line,' said Hardy.

'I think the $120,000 for the job that he's got is very questionable.'

If McKinnon is reporting to the legislative assembly, said Hardy, the government should have informed the opposition parties about the appointment.

He said McKinnon spoke to them Wednesday. However, that was two days after the former commissioner had already been quoted in a Vancouver newspaper saying he had been appointed by the Yukon government.

'We would have at least been briefed on this,' Hardy said, noting the government still has not spoken to the opposition about it.

Hardy noted Fentie promised to review the electoral system right after getting elected, and still nothing has been done.

Hardy said 2 1/2 years into the Yukon Party's mandate (February 2004), all that will be done will be McKinnon's reports.

The NDP leader thinks this is just a way for the government to stall reforming the territory's voting system. He wonders if the government even plans to make any changes.