The NDP will remain the official Opposition in the Yukon legislature, but only because it was the official Opposition to begin with.

'I will be joining Arthur Mitchell and the Yukon Liberal Party,' Kluane MLA Gary McRobb announced Thursday afternoon at a press conference where he was joined by Mitchell, the party's leader since last June.

That brings the number of Liberal caucus members and NDP members to three each. Former premier Pat Duncan is the remaining Liberal MLA.

When there is an even number of members, the title of official Opposition goes to the incumbent party, said Mitchell and Patrick Michael, clerk of the legislative assembly.

'This has never been about who would have official Opposition status,' said Mitchell.

In 1996, when an election saw the Liberals and Yukon Party awarded the same number of seats in opposition to a new NDP government, the Yukon Party became the official Opposition because its members had been the former government, Michael explained in an interview Thursday afternoon.

McRobb has run and represented constituents under the NDP banner for 10 years. He was turfed from the party's caucus late last month when NDP Leader Todd Hardy learned McRobb was in discussions with the Liberals and had sent out a letter to constituents asking if they would support him as an independent or a Liberal.

Mayo-Tatchun NDP MLA Eric Fairclough was also ousted from the NDP caucus shortly afterward because he was also in discussions with the Liberals. He has yet to announce his plans, saying he has to do more consultations with his constituents.

After speaking with his constituents, McRobb is ready to sit with Mitchell and Duncan.

'I see a lot of blue sky ahead,' McRobb said at Thursday's announcement, held at the MacBride Museum.

In his consultation, he received feedback from more than 125 voters in the riding, or 20 per cent of his constituents. From those, he learned most wanted him to join the Liberals.

'The time invested was very worthwhile,' he said of seeking the opinions of Kluane voters.

Many of his constituents see benefits in being part of a party, he said.

McRobb opted to seek the opinion of voters when he began questioning the leadership of the NDP.

As the Yukon NDP began taking a 'sharp turn to the left' under Hardy in the political spectrum, McRobb said, both he and Fairclough found themselves moving more toward the right in their political views.

'We found we have a lot more in common with Mr. Mitchell than with Mr. Hardy,' said McRobb.

It was McRobb and Fairclough who argued 'vehemently against' the changes to placer miners' water quality regulations that were imposed by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans when the NDP initially supported the move in December 2002, said McRobb.

The party later changed its view.

Duncan, who was premier at the time, opposed the rules immediately, said McRobb.

It's concerns like that which have been building for three years that made both McRobb and Fairclough look at other options.

'We decided to take the risk,' said McRobb.

While he had considered remaining an independent MLA, he said it's important that voters know where he stands.

'It was a bit opportunistic to not decide where you would stand,' he said.

Mitchell said he doesn't have a lot of time for the David Emerson scenario. Emerson was elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal in the Jan. 23 election, but defected to the Conservatives two weeks later, as a member of the new federal cabinet.

What McRobb and Fairclough have done shows tremendous courage, said Mitchell. It's not easy for a politician to take a step back and look at whether their political views are still consistent with the party.

And to do that publicly takes all kinds of risk, he added.

'It has not been easy for either of them,' said Mitchell, noting the exercise could mean different outcomes for each MLA.

Mitchell said Fairclough told him Tuesday he's continuing to speak with his constituents before he makes a decision on his future.

McRobb brings an extensive amount of experience to the Liberal caucus, said Mitchell. He plans to divide up the roles among the three members shortly.

'Gary has proven a strong representative for his constituents,' said Mitchell.

That's a role, McRobb says he plans to continue heading into the legislature March 30 as a Liberal.

Asked if he had a message to those constituents who would have preferred him to sit as an independent or, prior to being kicked out, remain an NDP member, he said he made his choice based on what most constituents wanted, but that he'll keep working for all voters in the Kluane riding.

'I will continue to serve your interests,' he said.

McRobb also thanked the NDP and Hardy for the time he served under the party's banner.

The Liberal caucus is completely made up of people who had previous loyalties to other parties.

Duncan once worked for the federal and territorial Conservatives, while Mitchell was a spokesman for the 1992-96 Yukon Party cabinet led by John Ostashek.