Evidence of dissatisfaction with the McKinnon report continued in the legislature Tuesday as Opposition Leader Todd Hardy tabled a motion pushing for public consultation on electoral reform.

In an interview today, Hardy said the report was written following little public consultation in the Yukon and that former commissioner Ken McKinnon seemed to come to conclusions based on his personal opinions.

The report indicates the Yukon doesn't need electoral reforms that would change the way the territory's 18 MLAs get elected to the legislature.

McKinnon instead states the Yukon is in need of legislative renewal which would change the way representatives act in the House.

The Marsh Lake resident's report cost taxpayers $124,000.

Hardy said though he is glad the report touched on the legislative renewal the NDP has pushed for in the past, he feels McKinnon dismissed the idea of electoral reform as quickly as possible.

'The government is totally agreeing with McKinnon, even though he has no evidence to support that it is what Yukoners want,' said Hardy.

However, in an interview yesterday, Premier Dennis Fentie said it's clear the NDP is trying to make electoral reform its issue.

The report has shown reform is not needed, he said, adding there is no need to 'reinvent the wheel.'

Liberal Leader Pat Duncan said today she also has concerns about the report.

'This report is not what the Yukon Party committed to,' she said, referring to the party's 2002 election campaign platform.

The number one issue with the report is the lack of public consultations, she said.

'There are Yukoners who are very informed on this issue, who have done their homework, and they were not heard from.'

In a response to the question of electoral reform, a group of citizens is joining together to discuss issues surrounding its possibility.

Whitehorse resident Ross Findlater chaired the first meeting of the group on Feb. 24. He said in an interview today that at the time, a consensus was reached among the attendees that some change was needed.

'Almost everyone at the meeting felt that there were parts of the system that were broke,' he said.

He said the present first-past-the-post voting system, which enables the candidate with the most number of votes in a riding to win a seat, can mean a party can form a government even with a relatively small proportion of the population's vote.

In the 2002 election, the Yukon Party won 40 per cent of the popular vote in the territory, but now occupy 66 per cent of the seats in the legislature.

In the 2000 election, there were similar results when the Liberal party had 43 per cent of the popular vote, but 58 per cent of the seats in the House.

Findlater said there was talk at the meeting of moving to a preferential ballot system, which would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

There was also concern at the meeting about the lack of interest among young people about elections and voting, he said.

'Speculation was that it was a result of feeling their votes don't count.'

The main purpose of the meeting was to allow the public to become more aware of the issues, Findlater said.

'There is a growing list of people who are part of this and reflect all parties and all views,' he said. 'It is turning into a conversation arena.'

The group is also talking to Fair Vote Canada for advice on current issues, Findlater said.

Fair Vote Canada is a national organization that examines the question of voting system reform.

Hardy said the group has a tremendous role to play in the push for electoral reform. He is supportive of Vote Canada being consulted.

In the meantime, Duncan said she thinks Hardy's motion for public consultation is a good idea.

'I challenge Mr. Fentie to get behind it,' he said.