Premier Dennis Fentie says the territory will approach the federal government to determine if there is any way to appoint a Yukon senator as soon as possible.

'What I'd like to do is ask the prime minister what he thinks we should do,' Fentie told a news conference last Monday. 'We only have one Senate appointment.'

Yukon Liberal Senator Ione Christensen announced her Dec. 31 resignation last week, approximately 22 months ahead of her mandatory retirement at age 75 in October 2008.

The decision was based around her husband, Art, requiring additional help around the house with his failing eyesight.

Fentie commended her work for the territory and decision to put family priorities first. However, he expressed concern about the Yukon going without representation in the upper chamber.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not filled any of the current 10 vacancies in the Senate, excluding his appointment of Public Works Minister Michael Fortier immediately following last January's election.

Harper had promised the Conservatives would work toward reforming the Senate during the campaign. The prime minister clearly stated he is against an appointed Senate.

The Conservatives want to permit voters to choose candidates to fill vacant Senate seats during a federal election. The prime minister would then consider the voting results before making any appointments.

Senate appointments have always been the prerogative of the prime minister. Enabling voters to actually elect senators would require constitutional change.

The government had previously tabled another piece of legislation that would limit senators to eight-year renewable terms.

'This has been an ongoing debate,' said Fentie. 'It looks like the federal government, the prime minister, will not just be simply appointing senators any longer.'

It is clear, though, the government does not intend to open a constitutional debate on Senate reform, said Fentie.

'What they are doing is looking to the provinces and territories to address the matter,' he said. 'We need to get a little more detail around what it is that we can do.'

The Yukon wants to ensure it's able to expedite its representation in the upper chamber, he said.

'It's important to get a senator into the upper house,' said Yukon MP Larry Bagnell.

It provides the Yukon and the North with an additional representative, he said, which is important when the territories are a minority in Parliament.

Each territory only has a single member of Parliament and senator in Ottawa.

It can prove a challenge in relation to work loads in the constituencies and in debating against the 'huge urban masses,' said Bagnell.

Christensen's resignation is disappointing in that regard, said Bagnell, but added the country may again be heading toward an election.

The Bloc Quebecois has indicated it may be voting against the budget in the new year.

If that's the case, Senate reform may very well become an election issue, said Bagnell.

The MP said the Liberals are not opposed to reforming the chamber in some way to make it more credible in the eyes of the public, but that it must be done with proper research and information.

Issues relating to the powers of an elected Senate and the imbalance of representation in the West must be addressed, he said.

Christensen said she will not become involved in the debate relating to the Conservative-proposed changes or how to replace the Yukon's representative.

She, however, indicated she doesn't like what the governing party is currently suggesting.

It is unclear if those nominated would be able to run again; if there would be a difference in powers between the two kinds of senators the legislation would make way for the remaining unelected ones and the newly-appointed individuals; if there is a change in powers for a reformed Senate enabling it to defeat confidence motions or deal with money bills; or how much money it would cost to get more staff and open more regional offices, she said.

'If it went through, it would make a profound change, and I don't know if we want that or not in Canada.'

Christensen further added that changing the way the Senate operates requires a constitutional change.

'We have, in Canada, a process for changing the Constitution and changing the way Parliament is run; that is, with seven provinces with 50 per cent of the population. That's the way it should be done. This is a backdoor approach.'

There needs to be more dialogue with Canadians, premiers and the provinces about whether the Senate truly does need to be reformed, she said.

Christensen succeeded ex-Yukon Senator Paul Lucier, a mayor of Whitehorse in the 1970s who died of bone cancer in the late '90s.