NDP Leader Todd Hardy wants to see an end to MLAs jumping to different parties.

An MLA elected under a party banner who ceases to belong to that caucus should sit as an independent for the remainder of the term he or she was elected for, states NDP legislation tabled last week.

The act would amend the current Legislative Assembly Act.

Actions of politicians, both in the territory and on a national level, have shown a need to establish a degree of ethical standards to regain the confidence of the public, Hardy told the Star.

Every politician who crosses the floor during his or her elected term erodes the voting rights of citizens, he added.

'We need some ethical guidelines in place,' he said, adding there appears to be a real public appetite for this kind of legislation.

'It will help deal with some of the disillusionment.'

Hardy told the Star he hopes all parties will unanimously agree to the piece of legislation, but he isn't exactly expecting it.

'Mr. (Gary) McRobb may have big issues around this, but he brought about his own situation by shopping his vote,' said Hardy.

McRobb, the MLA for Kluane, was ousted from the NDP caucus last month after Hardy learned he was sending letters to his constituents regarding the possibility of leaving the party and joining with the Liberals for the next territorial election.

McRobb is now sitting with the Liberal caucus.

'It's the sour grapes bill,' McRobb said. 'Obviously the NDP still can't get over what happened.'

Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell agrees. 'I think we all know why this act was brought forward,' he said.

Mitchell said Hardy didn't table the bill while he was in discussions with Education and Justice Minister John Edzerza last fall.

Hardy has admitted he was approached by Edzerza previously about the Yukon Party member joining the party.

Edzerza, however, was told the NDP does not condone switching parties without the MLA in question first sitting as an independent, Hardy previously told the Star.

Mitchell said dozens of politicians in history have switched parties when they have felt their political standards and philosophies no longer matched the party they were with.

'I just don't see the issue,' said Mitchell.

Asking MLAs to sit as an independent is unfair to constituents, because it makes it increasingly difficult for them to do work for their riding or to get legislation through the assembly, said Mitchell.

McRobb said it is absurd for the NDP to expect that when it kicks someone out of caucus, the MLA should have to sit as an independent.

'It's like a person that throws out a spouse and demands they never get married again,' said McRobb.

McRobb said he agrees with recent statements made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

'You have to wonder why it's always the NDP that whines about people leaving,' said McRobb, suggesting it isn't just the party leader in the Yukon who needs to do some soul-searching.

The bill is assuming that individuals vote solely based on party, said McRobb, which isn't always the case in rural Yukon.

It is the constituents who get to make the final decision on if they approve of a politician crossing the floor and have the options of voting out the MLA if they didn't like the change, said Mitchell.

'What you need to look at is the reasoning and the timing (in relation to the NDP bill),' said Mitchell.

Mitchell dismissed the fact Hardy had tabled a motion last December calling for a similar piece of the legislation to the one he has now tabled.

At that point, Hardy already knew McRobb was in discussions about leaving the party, said Mitchell.

The only way to get this piece of legislation to work, because of its clauses related to sitting as an independent, would be to put an end to the party system in the Yukon, said Mitchell.

'But I obviously believe in the party system,' said Mitchell, adding there may be opportunities to improve it.

Mitchell previously worked as the Yukon Party cabinet spokesman from 1994 to 1996 before winning the Liberal leadership last June.

His Liberal colleague, former premier and Porter Creek South MLA Pat Duncan, previously worked for the federal Conservatives as well as on then territorial Conservative Peter Jenkins' cause.

Jenkins left the Yukon Party late last year to sit as an independent on the opposition benches.

Premier Dennis Fentie has also switched parties, moving to the Yukon Party after sitting as an elected NDP MLA.

Mayo-Tatchun MLA Eric Fairclough is also currently consulting his constituents on his political future.

Fairclough was removed from the NDP caucus last month after he stated he was also speaking with people in his riding about running with a different party in the next territorial election and he had been in discussions with the Liberals. He is currently sitting as an independent.

Edzerza has stated as soon as the writ for the election is dropped he considers himself a 'free agent.'

The piece of legislation is about creating a clearer job description for MLAs and putting more standards in place, said Hardy.

The Yukon Party declined to comment.