Committee Approves Virtual Sittings Of Legislature

New Brunswick is one step closer to having virtual sittings of the legislature, according to the province’s Official Opposition.

Interim Liberal leader Roger Melanson says the Legislative Administration Committee met Friday and recommended adopting a virtual system.

The system will allow for hybrid sessions so some MLAs may participate online while others are in the legislature.

“The Legislature must keep on working through COVID-19 outbreaks and beyond,” said Melanson. “This system will allow us to do just that.”

MLAs voted last Tuesday to temporarily adjourn the legislature after the province’s top doctor recommended that members in the Saint John and Moncton regions, which were under the orange level of pandemic recovery, must stay home. Fredericton transitioned to the orange zone just days later.

Kent North Green MLA Kevin Arseneau put forward a motion calling for an emergency debate on virtual sittings of the legislature.

But acting speaker Jeff Carr denied the motion, saying it would not be fair to schedule a debate on this when most MLAs were unable to attend the legislature.

Arseneau and Green Party leader David Coon voted against the motion to adjourn the legislature, along with People’s Alliance MLAs Kris Austin and Michelle Conroy.

Melanson said a service provider will start the implementation process Monday, but no timeline has been established.

“As we have said before, public health and democracy can and must coexist,” he said. “It is our duty to make sure they do.”

The legislature is set to resume on Dec. 8.