Eleven NDP candidates and 32 volunteers convearged at the NDP headquarters at the old Unitech building at Second Avenue and Two Mile Hill on Saturday.

Their goal: to get out into NDP Leader Todd Hardy's riding and hit as many doors as possible in a single afternoon.

Hardy is still out of the territory at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. Diagnosed with leukemia in early August, he was declared to be in full remission by his doctors on Sept. 7.

Though his first regime of chemotherapy is done, his doctors are keeping him in the hospital and haven't yet provided him with a date on when he can return to the Yukon.

In a letter dropped off at every home in Hardy's Whitehorse Centre riding, though, tells his constituents, 'I intend to be back in the Yukon before election day (Oct. 10) and I look forward very much to seeing you then.'

Prior to hitting the streets of downtown Whitehorse, 11 of the NDP's candidates crowded around a speaker phone to tell Hardy how the campaign is going.

'There's definitely a lot of concern with the current government and people are really looking to the NDP and what we believe in,' said Gwen Wally, the candidate for Pelly-Nisutlin.

'There is no ground swell for the Yukon Party and nothing for the Liberals either, so I think that bodes well,' assured Riverdale North candidate James McCullough.

'There's lots of anti-Fentie sentiment,' Peter Lesniak said of his campaigning in Riverdale South. 'They consider him calling an election a bit of a dirty trick and there might be some ramifications for him on election day.'

But not all the reviews of the campaign trail were as glowing.

Rhoda Merkel said she didn't have high hopes that the NDP will be taking Whitehorse West away from Yukon Party incumbent Elaine Taylor.

In Porter Creek North, Dave Hobbis said the campaign is struggling with the riding's history of not being an NDP stronghold.

'Generally the response is, We don't want the Yukon Party, but we don't know what we're going to do yet,'' he said.

'Just keep reaching out to them, because they are all in the pivotal state,' Hardy told his team. 'Every bit of work we do now in all the ridings is going to start to swing people our way.'

Hardy advised them to tell electors the NDP is the only real alternative when they cast their ballots.

'You can say a vote for the Liberals is a vote for the Yukon Party; look at their history. We're the real alternative and a really positive alternative.'

It was a 'great experience' for so many of the NDP candidates to be able to hear Hardy's voice before heading out into the leader's riding, said acting leader Steve Cardiff.

'I'm really quite overwhelmed that everybody is down there and seems upbeat,' said Hardy.

He asked the volunteer canvassers to tell his constitufffffsssents he isn't going anywhere.

'I'm still alive and well and I'll still work as hard for them as I always have in the past and as I always will in the future.'

The riding is a 'beautiful little place,' said Hardy, adding much of the NDP's work over the last four years originated from concerns coming out of Whitehorse Centre.

'(It was) one phone call two years ago on which we shaped a government agenda for a couple of years when we were in opposition,' said Hardy.

Hardy, along with the NDP, hosted several town hall meetings during the current mandate. They have been recognized for the vital role they played in the passing of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods legislation earlier this year. The law is aimed at shutting down drug houses and addressing substance abuse in the territory.

Substance abuse remains a prominent concern on the doorsteps in the riding, said John Edzerza, the former Yukon Party Justice minister now running for the NDP in McIntyre-Takhini. But many people also expressed their thanks for the work the NDP has done, he said.

'As your MLA for eight of the past 10 years, it has been an hour to work side-by-side with you to help keep downtown Whitehorse the wonderful place it is for our families,' states Hardy's letter to his constituents.

Hardy further states in the note the NDP will continue to work on creating a strong economy with a healthy environment, better child care, health and housing, successful communities, expanded education and job training and a hard-working and honest government.

Four teams spread out across the riding knocking on doors from approximately 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. They hit about 90 per cent of the households.

Support for Hardy was consistent and strong, said Edzerza. Though, many asked when the ailing leader will be returning to the Yukon.

A man at one household on Wood Street told Cardiff he didn't even need to hear what the incumbent MLA had to say.

'I support Todd,' he called from his garden.

'There will be lots of Todd Hardy signs going up today,' said Cardiff. 'The response has been overwhelming; pretty strong. I think it speaks to the hard work we've done as a caucus and to the team that we are presenting to the people.'

Knocking on doors in another candidate's riding isn't a nerve-wrecking experience, said Cardiff.

'We're a team and we need to keep the team strong,' he said.

He added it is about representing the values of the party no matter who you're knocking on doors for.

'It was quite an honour to go out and do that for Todd,' said Edzerza. 'I support him 100 per cent.'

'They've got to see your face, they've got to hear your voice. If they see your face and hear your voice, they'll give you their vote,' said Hardy, adding he hopes the NDP is again able to pull off winning Whitehorse Centre.

'I was there for them in the past, I'm there for them now. We're going forward. '