The right to petition the New Brunswick's legislative assembly appears to be heading for a hi-tech overhaul, opening the door for citizens to table online petitions.
House leader Michael Murphy said it is about time to modernize the rules after Bill Fraser, the acting Speaker, was forced to reject on Tuesday a petition from more than 7,400 New Brunswickers demanding government funding for a cancer drug.
Murphy said the antiquated rule overseeing how petitions are collected will be discussed the next time the legislature's procedures committee convenes.
"I'm not sure exactly how it'll be done. The rule can probably be changed quicker than the technical aspect, but I don't know," Murphy said.
"I don't see any objection coming from anywhere. The time certainly has come, sure."
Blaney's petition denied
The shortcomings in the legislature's rules were exposed when Conservative MLA Margaret-Ann Blaney tried to present the petition calling on the government to fund the cancer treatment Avastin.
Blaney acknowledged that many of the names were gathered online.
Blaney referred to a recent high-tech ranking of Fredericton as she acknowledged to Fraser that gathering names online was contrary to the legislature's rules.
"Although we live in one of the smartest cities in the world, apparently we in the legislature are not set up for an online petition, and perhaps you can advise me on that," she said.
Legislature rules require that petitions tabled in the chamber include signatures, so Fraser was forced to turn down the petition.
"Currently there is no rule in the house that would allow the acceptance of online petitions," he said.
