Two of the territory's political parties spent the weekend rallying the troops.

The Yukon Party and the Yukon Liberal Party held their annual general meetings on Saturday.

The Yukon Party attracted about 80 people to their predominantly closed-door meeting held at the High Country Inn. Only the registration period and the party leader's address by Premier Dennis Fentie were open to the general public.

Across town at the Yukon Inn, the Liberals kept their doors open to the public for much of the day, attracting approximately 70 people at the peak period.

Though the approach to the two meetings may have been different, the general message of election preparedness and optimism remained the same.

In a speech very similar to the one presented just last Tuesday at a Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Fentie told his fellow party members the Yukon Party has brought a renewed sense of optimism to the territory.

'Unemployment is at historic lows and hundreds more Yukoners are working,' said Fentie. 'In today's Yukon, our population is increasing again and is soon destined to reach an all-time high. Our property values have risen dramatically, 21 per cent for Whitehorse in the last year alone.

'The Yukon government's financial health is among the best of all jurisdictions in Canada,' he said.

The premier reminded the party members it took hard work on their part to reverse economic trends that existed during the 2000-02 reign of former premier Pat Duncan's Liberal government and previous NDP governments.

'In November, 2002, Yukon was at a crossroads,' said Fentie.

The territory's resource sector investors had been driven away by the 'flawed policies' of the NDP and Liberal governments, said Fentie.

'The previous Liberal government had mismanaged the state of Yukon's finances to the point where the government was cash-poor and paying overdraft charges.

'Clearly, there was a need for change. The NDP and Liberal governments had left the Yukon a rudderless ship, adrift and barely afloat.'

When the Yukon Party was placed in power as a majority government, it used a disciplined and deliberate approach to get the territory back on track, he said.

Fentie continued to maintain the Yukon Party will take the territory toward a prosperous and promising future.

'Yukoners want an end to the political instability of past governments, where the Yukon Party returns the territory to health and prosperity only to have the next NDP or Liberal government spend its time reversing the trends.'

Fentie told the Star today the party members' reaction to the speech was excellent.

The former New Democrat managed to keep a hold of his leadership in a closed vote regarding a leadership review. The actual count of the vote is not being released.

But Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell said Fentie keeping a hold of the party's reins isn't any surprise.

It wouldn't likely be prudent for a party to vote out a man who has served as premier going into an election, said Mitchell.

'There was no doubt in my mind that Mr. Fentie would be leading them into the next election,' said Mitchell.

Fentie said he was pleased with the turnout at the meeting.

'There was tremendous interest to get involved,' he said.

Outgoing Yukon Party president Darrell Peters agreed the day proved to be 'very busy' with 55 delegates in attendance. He added the meeting actually started 40 minutes late because of the number of people registering.

Dan Macdonald was elected the new president of the party. Former Conservative cabinet minister Dan Lang will serve as vice-president, Alexia McKinnon as secretary and Jordan Kulicki as treasurer.

With the new president, some younger members of the executive and the enthusiasm of the party, Fentie said the members are confident about the next election and looking forward to getting onto the campaign trail.

Mitchell spent part of his speech on Saturday speculating about when Fentie may call the election, which must occur by November.

There are three election scenarios, said Mitchell.

• Fentie may make this a budget election and drop the writ almost immediately after tabling the budget;

• he may wait until into the midst of the legislative sitting, which will begin Thursday; or

• he may simply wait until autumn, when the Yukon Party has run out of time in its mandate, said Mitchell.

He told the Star this morning, though, it now seems more likely Fentie will finish out his term and not call the election until after the spring sitting.

But the Liberal party must be ready for all possibilities, he said.

Preparations have been underway in the party for some time now, he said. Platform development began last summer and candidates are being lined up.

Mitchell introduced Dale Cheeseman as the candidate for Porter Creek North and touted in some ridings he has multiple individuals vying to run under the party's banner in the election.

'Yukon Liberals have a positive plan to make government work for all Yukoners. It is a plan with clear priorities. And a plan Yukoners can hold us accountable to,' Mitchell told attendees at the annual general meeting.

The Liberal party's platform will be based on creating a government that can be trusted, establishing a strong and honest partnership with first nations, balancing jobs with a healthy environment, bettering the education system, and improving on the Yukon's health care system and access to doctors.

'Yukoners are looking for a better way and we must prove to the public that we are the only viable alternative. Part of doing that is building the party in rural Yukon. We must build this party in every riding and in every community,' he said.

As part of increasing the Liberals' presence in rural Yukon, Mitchell welcomed former NDP MLA Gary McRobb to the party.

McRobb was ousted from the NDP caucus earlier this month, along with Mayo-Tatchun MLA Eric Fairclough.

The two had been consulting with their constituents regarding their political futures and presenting the possibility they would be moving their allegiances elsewhere.

McRobb, who represents Kluane, had served with the NDP for a decade.

'Gary (McRobb) has proven in his 10 years in the legislature that he is a strong representative for his constituents,' said Mitchell. 'He listens to what people have to say and brings their issues forward in the legislature.'

Mitchell added he found himself often agreeing with McRobb during the fall sitting of the assembly.

'I look forward to working with Gary (McRobb) in the upcoming sitting and into the next election,' said Mitchell. 'He gives us a strong voice in rural Yukon.'

The underlying message and focus for much of the Liberal AGM was election preparedness, said Ted Dean, the party's president.

'There's a major excitement factor in getting ready,' he said, adding the deadline to work toward has always been this week.

Mitchell said no matter when the premier decides to call an election, his Liberal party is in good shape.

'I simply can't sit back and predict when an election is going to be called,' he said. 'It's a waste of time and energy.'

But he drew reference to the party's numbers in the house. Following the November 2002 election, Duncan was the sole Liberal in the assembly. The party is now up to three members.

With the ouster of former Copperbelt MLA Haakon Arntzen following charges of indecent assault and Klondike MLA Peter Jenkins' decision to sit has an independent last November, the Yukon Party, which came to power with 12 MLAs, is now at 10.

The NDP, which won five seats in the 2002 election, is down to three.

The Liberals' executive was rounded out with: Isaac Wood as vice-president, Bruce Demchuk as treasurer and former cabinet minister Pam Buckway as secretary.

Its directors are: Linda Casson-Hare, Barrie Ledoux, Richard Johnson and Lesley Cabott.