Liberal Leader Pat Duncan and NDP Leader Todd Hardy say an off-mic remark by Yukon Party backbencher Brad Cathers in the legislature Thursday was offensive to many Yukoners who travel with family members or friends sent Outside for medical attention.

Cathers, a first-term MLA, made the comment about 'escort services' during discussion in the house about medical travel.

Gary McRobb, the NDP MLA for Kluane, questioned Health and Social Services Minister Peter Jenkins on travel allowances for patients who have to leave the territory.

He pointed to services provided in the Northwest Territories for such patients there and allowances for family or friends who travel with them, known as escorts.

The Hansard transcripts from question period record off-mic remarks as inaudible. However, Hardy and Duncan said in separate encounters with reporters they heard Cathers make a comment on 'escort services'.

'We were all upset, actually,' Hardy told reporters. 'We were really quite stunned.'

Earlier, he pointed out how important escorts are to those who have to leave the territory for medical attention.

'It's a very serious role that they play and it's generally around extremely serious and sometimes fatal circumstances,' he said.

Hardy said Lorraine Peter, Vuntut Gwitchin's NDP MLA, took particular issue with the comment because many of the seniors and elders in her riding of Old Crow are accompanied by family and friends when they go Outside for medical treatment.

'To be viewed in that light as an escort service by Mr. Cathers was extremely upsetting,' he said.

Anybody with knowledge of the health care system or who's been tasked with accompanying a relative Outside for treatment knows how important that role is, Duncan told reporters.

'To trivialize it in that way is so wrong,' she said. 'And then he (Cathers) had an opportunity over the break for his colleagues, who know better or ought to know better, to say, Hey, you're out of line there.'

'We walked in again to start committee debate and (he said), Oh, I guess Gary's (McRobb's) going to talk about prostitution,' he says off-mic.'

Although Hardy said the comment shocked the opposition, he also noted it isn't the first time such off-mic comments have been made. Duncan agreed with him.

Hardy went on to note Premier Dennis Fentie has to set some sort of ethical standard for behaviour in the house.

While the Star attempted to contact Cathers directly on the matter, Fentie said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon he had dealt with the issue.

'I've dealt with the member,' he said after noting the comment made was inappropriate.

The government will now focus on the process of legislative renewal and working with all parties on that, he said.

Former Yukon commissioner Ken McKinnon, who studied electoral reform for the territory, released his report Wednesday. It suggested Yukoners wanted to see changes to the way MLAs behave in the legislature rather than a different system for democratic representation.

After question period Thursday, Fentie was asked about Yukon Party backbenchers seen laughing throughout question period.

The premier responded: 'Can I be blunt? They got a little bit of a dressing down a few moments ago.'

He said he explained to the MLAs, 'We're all here to try and do our best to improve decorum.'