Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk to Members about a relevant issue that happened two weeks ago in the New Brunswick Legislature. It all started when a retired school administrator, Frank Taylor, was forced to borrow $35,000 after he was diagnosed with cancer. The drug he needs is not covered by the provincial medical plan. Mr. Taylor collected almost 7,500 names on a petition, but when the Conservative health critic presented the petition to the Legislature, the acting Speaker was forced to reject it. The reason for the rejection was that more than 4,000 names were collected on-line. The Legislature’s rules require that petitions tabled include signatures. But with general agreement in the Legislature that Members would like to accept the on-line petition for tabling, the Liberal House Leader said it was about time to modernize their rules overseeing petitions. Thus, the antiquated rules will be discussed the next time the Legislature’s Procedures committee convenes.
Although it’s unclear how the technical aspects will be handled, the New Brunswick Legislature is willing to look at this in a modern context. Therefore, it is reasonable, here in the North, when we need to consider the vast distance and diversity, to consider, possibly, the idea of on-line petitions. Of course, it would take some updating of our rules to reflect that process.
Although in New Brunswick the petition was from a 71-year-old man, such a petition might come forward from younger northern people too. What do we do, for instance, if northern students wanted to exercise their concern about the cuts to the scholarship program in a method they are familiar with such as an on-line petition? Such a case exists now, Mr. Speaker, on Facebook with about 280 signatures that ask for the cuts to be reversed. However, rules, of course, say that we could not accept their petition. Our northern students are spread throughout Canada and, of course, the North, and just maybe an on-line petition is the only way they could rally their concern in a respectable, reasonable and certainly a timely way.
It’s been my experience that far too often people will criticize our young folks for not getting involved or even taking action. Perhaps part of the blame lies on this process in that it’s old, antiquated and it doesn’t reflect young people in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, I hope someday soon this House will be willing to begin research and examine the guidelines and consider on-line petitions, because when people, young or old, feel strongly about a matter, they should be heard, regardless if it’s an on-line petition.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, if we don’t consider this issue, the voice of democracy will fall silent on a generation that demands to be heard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
