RULES CONCERNING PETITIONS
If you would like to have a petition presented in the Legislature you must follow the guidelines set out below, at this time electronic petitions are not accepted.
RULES CONCERNING PETITIONS
Standing Rule 36 sets out the procedures of the House relative to Petitions.
1. A Petition may only be presented (on behalf of petitioners) to the House by a Member of the Legislative Assembly. Every Member presenting a Petition to the House must affix his or her name to the first sheet of the Petition.
2. Every Petition offered to be presented to the House should begin with the words “To the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick assembled:” or with an equivalent expression.
3. Every Petition should end with a prayer setting out the general object of the Petitioner or the nature of the relief asked for,which it must be within the competence of the legislative Assembly to grant.
4. Every Petition must be written or printed in either the English or French language.
5. Every Petition must be signed by the parties and in the case of a corporation, the corporate signature must be accompanied by the seal of the corporation.
6. No letters, affidavits, or other documents, may be attached to any Petition.
7. Every Petition must be respectful, decorous and temperate in its language.
8. On the presentation of a Petition, no debate shall be allowed. The member presenting the Petition may make a brief statement naming the parties from who it comes, the number of signatures attached to it, and the material allegations it contains.
9. After presentation, all Petitions are transmitted by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly to a Minister of the Crown; a written response must be provided within two weeks of the presentation of the Petition. Observations made in reply by the Minister, or by any other Minister, are distributed to the member who presented the Petition and the Opposition parties.
APPENDIX
STYLE IN WHICH A PETITION TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
SHOULD BE DRAWN UP
PETITION TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NEW BRUNSWICK
TO THE HONOURABLE THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NEW BRUNSWICK, ASSEMBLED:
THE PETITION OF THE UNDERSIGNED _______________ OF THE ______________, HUMBLY SHEWETH THAT ____________________.
(Here state the object desired by the petitioner)
WHEREOF YOUR PETITIONER HUMBLY PRAYS THAT YOUR HONOURABLE HOUSE MAY BE PLEASED TO ___________________, AND AS IN DUTY BOUND YOUR PETITIONER WILL EVER PRAY.
(Seal, in case of existing corporation, and date)
NOTE – The words “and as in duty bound your petitioner will ever pray” constitutes the formal ending of the Petition and signatures and addresses only should follow, and no other matter should be added.