The NDP is not waiting on the Yukon Party to introduce whistle blower legislation.

In the legislature this afternoon, NDP Leader Todd Hardy introduced a private member's bill to create a law to protect civil servants who tattle on fellow workers or the government itself for misusing resources.

Hardy said Monday's comments from Public Service Commission Minister John Edzerza made it clear the government wasn't going to bring forward the protective legislation any time soon.

In the 2002 election campaign, the Yukon Party promised to 'implement effective whistle blower legislation' which protects the anonymity of public employees who report abuse within the government and provides a clear process for a full and fair investigation' if elected, which it was.

The NDP leader and Public Service Commission critic asked Edzerza if the legislation was going to be brought forward during this sitting of the house.

'This legislation he's talking about is something that's in discussion within the federal government. This government does intend to wait and see the outcome of that legislation,' Edzerza told the legislature.

As for the timing of when he would bring forward his own bill, Edzerza said it would depend on how quickly Ottawa dealt with its own legislation.

After question period, the minister mused that it was quite possible the federal bill might die in the House of Commons without being passed.

Edzerza wants to wait until the federal government passes its bill to see what flaws and problems may arise in Ottawa's law the Yukon could avoid with its own.

But Hardy doesn't think the Yukon should take its lead from Ottawa.

'It is bad legislation,' the NDP leader said about the federal bill.

According to Hardy, there has been no support of Ottawa's whistle blower bill from anybody affected by it.

'It's kind of distressing this government would copy the federal government,' he said. 'That's not the model I'd be following.'

Hardy thinks the Yukon Party government doesn't want to bring forward the legislation after all.

'Is all he's doing is hiding behind the federal skirt?' the New Democrat wondered.

'I have a hard time understanding Mr. Edzerza's rationale.'

With that in mind, the NDP decided to take on the matter itself.

The bill, of which the detail will be known later today, will truly provide the protection a good whistle blower law would, according to Hardy.

The NDP plans to introduce the bill for second reading debate tomorrow.

Hardy said his party will 'prod and push' the Yukon Party and create debate on this matter.

Liberal Leader Pat Duncan chastized Edzerza for following Ottawa's lead on the legislation.

'This is a party that promised to lessen our dependence on Ottawa,' she said, referring to Premier Dennis Fentie's desire to make the Yukon self-sufficient and not always dependent on federal money.

'What happened to the independent, Yukon Party?' she asked.

She wants the territorial government to take the required time to sit down with the employees' union and work out a good whistle blower law.

Duncan said her Liberal government was working on just such a bill before it was defeated in the November 2002 election.