The fall sitting of the legislative assembly ended Monday afternoon with the NDP pushing to set the agenda for when the the house sits again in the spring of 2006.

The party tabled 17 motions during question period. They asked the government to develop and table legislation on issues including the sharing of economic benefits from megaprojects, to changes in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, to preventing an MLA from crossing the floor against the wishes of his or her constituents.

The NDP also asked the next sitting be lengthened from its traditional 30-day period to 40 days.

'We've really pushed them to bring serious legislation forward in the spring time, because they've had over three years now and we are still waiting for stuff,' said NDP Leader Todd Hardy.

Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell labelled the 2005 fall sitting of the assembly as 'legislation light.

'Everything else is basically housekeeping legislation,' Mitchell said. 'This was their opportunity to bring forward legislation. This was the final fall sitting in their mandate.'

The Yukon Party put forward 10 pieces of legislation over this sitting. Among them were the budget's Fourth Appropriation Act and Second Appropriation Act, the Co-operation in Governance Act, the Act to Amend the Family Violence Act and the Act to Amend the Income Tax Act.

Out of the legislation, Mitchell said, the only ones with 'some substance' were the Family Violence Act, which provides tougher penalties to repeat violent offenders, and the Income Tax Act, which will provide a $150 energy rebate to low-income Yukoners.

He also said he was 'pleased' that the Co-operation in Governance Act was passed, but added he hopes it doesn't just become an empty promise from the government.

The act turns the Yukon Forum into law, making it mandatory for the government to meet with first nations governments at least four times a year to discuss areas of joint-importance.

'If we form government, we'll comply with the spirit of it, not just the letter of it,' said Mitchell.

Hardy agreed those were the most important pieces of legislation. But he said he believed the government could have done 'so much more' in both the energy rebate program and the family violence amendments.

'This government has been very, very hesitant in bring any type of significant legislation forward,' he said.

Premier Dennis Fentie, however, said the type of legislation brought forward this sitting makes it significant and successful.

'These are a number of areas that are important,' said Fentie. The governing party has also increased its investments in primary health care and worked on enhancing its obligations and benefits to government employees, he added.

The premier said the sitting was successful despite the 'interesting development' of former cabinet minister Peter Jenkins crossing the floor to sit as an independent on Nov. 28.

Several issues were brought up over the course of the sitting by the opposition parties. The NDP focused on ethics, said Hardy.

The party asked a variety of questions related to safer communities legislation, electoral reform, government relations with first nations and government actions in relation to last May's cull of the Northern Splendor reindeer herd.

Questions related to project champions, the Alaska Highway Aboriginal Pipeline Coalition and Fentie's involvement in opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge were also posed by the NDP.

'We've really challenged the government both on ethics as well as on the messages and work they've been doing,' said Hardy.

'We didn't do it to have them lock down or circle the wagons. We did it to see if we can help change that behaviour of the government. We are very concerned that the public has become extremely disillusioned with politicians,' he said.

On the Liberal side, questioning over the sitting was directed at sole-source contracts, the health care facilities in Dawson City and Watson Lake, the building of a school in Copperbelt and health care.

Mitchell said after he joined the assembly following the Nov. 21 byelection, he tried to focus on Copperbelt concerns, including the extension of Hamilton Boulevard to the Robert Service Way-Alaska Highway area.

'I think we've maybe begun to at least convince the government there are problems,' he said.

'The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging there's a problem,' he said.

Both opposition leaders said ethics in leadership and ethics in government top their 'wish list' for the spring 2006 sitting.

Mitchell would also like to see the Child Act review come back to the legislature and the territorial workers' compensation board review and its draft legislation be tabled.

Hardy hopes the spring will see efforts to encourage a more engaged public, a long-term vision that looks at the social, economic, environmental future of the territory and good governance for the people.

'Frankly, if you don't have good governance, if you don't have one that is ethical government and one where the public trusts it, you've got a problem no matter what,' he said.

The coming spring's sitting will be the first of an election year and possibly the last one before Fentie is forced to call an election by November 2006.

Over the last several years, Fentie resumed the legislative proceedings for the spring in late March.