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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Spring is a time for renewal, and when the legislative assembly reconvenes this afternoon following a more than two-month break, it could bring with it a renewed commitment to communication.

The break allowed tempers to cool down after a tempestuous six-week budget session, where emotions boiled over and cabinet was nearly toppled by a narrowly-defeated non-confidence vote.

Dave Ramsay, Kam Lake MLA, said he thinks the government learned a lesson last session.

"I do think we spent too much time fighting with one and other, but we wouldn't be fighting with one and other if we were communicating," he said.

As a result, during the time off, MLAs got together for a three-day caucus retreat at Blachford Lake Lodge from April 21 to 23 to hash out 10 principles of consensus government after miscommunication and in-fighting nearly pushed this style of government - unique to the NWT and Nunavut - to the brink, according to Michael Miltenberger.

"If we didn't take time to do this, then yes, I think there was serious questions about the fate and future of consensus government," said the finance minister following the retreat.

The 10 guidelines formally set out the roles of both cabinet and regular MLAs, while enhancing the importance of caucus meetings - where all 19 MLAs get together, setting portfolios aside to discuss issues affecting all residents of the NWT.

"We talked about using caucus more, in terms of discussing issues that affect all members that might be contentious and issues that might be new or not thought out, that we might need to get feedback on," said Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro, who serves as caucus chair.

Bisaro said MLAs can use caucus to get to the root of problems without having them fester and then blow up in the legislative assembly. Ramsay said this short, seven-day session will most likely be "tame" in comparison to the budget session.

"I don't imagine there will be too much in terms of animosity," he said.

However, the past two months have not been without some controversy.

In March, students attend-ing post-secondary institutions were surprised to receive letters telling them merit-based scholarships had been cut from this year's budget.

The cut saved the government $400,000.

A group of students formed a Facebook group - 239 students strong at last count - to oppose the cut. The group had discussed protesting at the legislative assembly, but no plans had been set by the end of last week.

As well, a conflict of interest complaint against Premier Floyd Roland still lingers over the legislative assembly, with a decision expected in "weeks rather than months," according to conflict of interest commissioner Gerald Gerrand.

New legislation will be brought before the legislative assembly this session.

This includes the proposed Species at Risk Act, which has been 10 years in the making and was taken out for public consultation across the territory since last session.

When session ends on June 4, the legislative assembly will not reconvene again until Oct.15, where MLAs will begin approving capital projects for next year's budget.